Doncaster Dons 51 - 18 Dewsbury Rams

Pardon me if I repeat that scoreline again – I’m still having problems believing what my eyes were telling me at the Keepmoat Stadium this afternoon.

Doncaster 51 – Dewsbury 18, and yes, we got exactly what we deserved, particularly in that last thirty minutes. Actually though, the writing was on the wall from as early as the fourth minute when our defence went AWOL wide on our left allowing Donny to sweep through at will, winger Darren Woods finishing the move with a try behind the posts, and scrum half Luke Gale adding the extras.

Okay, not the first bad start we’ve made this season, that’s a habit we need to lose next year. Four minutes later Liam Finn narrowed the gap with a penalty from close in, only for us to hand Donny their second try on a plate. A silly inside pass from Patch Walker was gratefully received by Don’s second row Craig Lawton who galloped unopposed for forty yards and their second try. Gale’s conversion edged them further in front at 12 – 2.

But the Rams came straight back. Collecting the restart kick, they moved the ball quickly right for Bryn Powell to squeeze in at the corner. Liam Finn’s touchline conversion hit the post and came back out. For the next twenty minutes or so the game was poor, but fairly even. Both sides were making too many mistakes. A Gale penalty was the only score during this period, though Donny’s two tries in three minutes around the half hour mark changed all that.

First full back Damien Munro burst through two tackles to go over on the left and, two minutes later a grubber kick on the fifth tackle was touched down by hooker Chris Buttery. Luke Gale added the conversions and the Rams were down 26 – 6 and staring at a defeat of their own making.

A hanging restart kick led to a Dons fumble, and from the scrum Rams moved the ball right and a long kick ahead was touched down by Chris Hall wide on the right. Liam Finn’s conversion narrowing the half time score to 26 – 12. Probably an accurate reflection of the play, but it left us needing to score first if we were to have any chance of rescuing a game that at one time seemed lost.

We got that score after only two minutes. Chris Hall making the initial break, and supplying the inside pass for Bryn Powell to collect the inside pass to score his second try of the afternoon. Liam added the two points and for ten minutes we were back in the game.

Again the weakness out wide apparent all afternoon was exploited by Dons No.2 Darren Woods, and though Liam Finn and Austin Buchanan got to him, the cover defence was too slow reacting, and prop Tommy Hodgkinson went over easily. Gale added yet another goal, and the game was lost with thirty minutes left on the clock

Oh, there was plenty of individual effort, but as a team we were as ineffective as I’ve seen us all season. (I missed the NR Cup game at Hunslet!).

For me, the day was summed up by the second half penalty we were awarded some ten yards from the Don’s line. After sweeping the ball left, we then coughed it up on the first tackle. The longer the game went on the more confidence the Dons showed, and some of our forwards began to lose their discipline, with Hobbo and Joe Helme both being penalised for high shots within a matter of minutes.

The outcome was inevitable. Now it the scoreboard was ticking away from us as surely as the clock. On the half hour mark, Dons stand off Chris Forster charged down Josh Weeden's kick, collected the ball and raced into the corner. Gale missed the conversion, but sixty seconds later popped over a drop goal just to make amends. Two minutes after that, Munro gathered his own chip ahead and supplied the pass to send sub Sean Johnson in under the posts. Goal Gale.

The Donny fans were calling for fifty, and the Rams fans were as quiet as I’ve heard them all season. Some were even drifting away, and even I was praying that Mr. Hicks would blow before we conceded another score.

No such luck. Another break down the Donny right saw Luke Gale go over under the posts, this time the conversion was added by second row Mark Castle, and right at the end another Gale penalty drove the final nail into the Rams coffin. 51 – 18.

I was embarrassed. Tell you what. On the way home the missus and I stopped off at Pizza Hut next to the Showcase, and I was worried that someone might spot the Rams shirt, and ask how they went on. Thankfully they didn’t and, barring the unexpected, I’ll be there for the Leigh game next week.

Like I said earlier, today we got what we deserved, and the players were a pretty subdued bunch after the game. Thank heaven we’re safe for this season. Now we can look forward to the comings and goings, and talk about where we need to strengthen the squad. On yesterday’s performance, it’s difficult to know where to begin.

Ossy.

Referee. R Hicks.

Teams :-

DEWSBURY RAMS :- Ian Preece: Bryn Powell: Chris Hall: Danny Maun: Austin Buchanan: Pat Walker: Dean Lawford: Andy Hobson: Liam Finn: Joe Helme: Kevin Crouthers: Alex Bretherton: Josh Weeden. Subs :- Luke Haigh: Martin Robinson: Liam Crawley: Keegan Hirst.

DONCASTER :- Damien Munro: Darren Woods: Shaun Leaf: Lee Forth: Joe Brown: Chris Forster: Luke Gale: Tommy Hodgkinson: Chris Buttery: Luke Burgess: Mark Castle: Craig Lawton: Peter Green. Subs:- Andy Speak: Sean Johnson: Alex Benson: Chris Lyth.