Doncaster 34 Hunslet 24
After a disastrous first 16 minutes at the Eco-power Stadium, Doncaster. Hunslet showed they have enough fight in them to chalk up a couple more victories this season.
The Parksiders trailed 22-0 and it looked like we were in for a Cricket score, but some defiance and plenty of skill meant with 5 minutes to go Hunslet trailed by only 28-24 and could have won the match.
The early sets were quite even, but a big Doncaster side found a hole in Hunslets defence and although Mackenzie Turner got back to make the tackle, quick hands to the right sent former Hunslet man Luke Briscoe over. Hall converting 6-0 on only the 2nd minute.
When Hunslet concede they can concede in clusters and 6 minutes later Sam Smeaton received a short ball from a scrum. 12-0
Jacob Jones extended the lead on 11 minutes then Alex Sutcliffe rounded off some good play despite a Lloyd McEwan-Peters tackle to make it 22-0 on only 16 minutes.
It looked like a regulation victory for the Dons, but on 22 minutes Billy Jowitt made a great break down the left before offloading to Lloyd McEwan-Peters who handed off defenders to score in the left corner. 22-4
8 minutes later and Jowitt again found a gap on the left. The resulting play the ball went to Lee Gaskell whose precision kick was chipped on by Jack Rampton to score on his Hunslet debut. 22-8 and a fine try from left corner to right corner.
Hunslet were now in the ascendancy, but losing Sam Ackroyd to a head injury set them back. Pauli Pauli and Kevin Larroyer squared up to each other after Matty Fletcher was laid out tackling the big Dons forward, and the game became a little frayed.
Doncaster off the back of some penalties shipped the ball to the right for Jacob Jones to score his 2nd and with Mackenzie Turner sent to the sin-bin for laying on Hunslets task at the break looked daunting. 28-8
It was Hunslet though who came out in the second period looking freshest. Pauli Pauli, who had been walking the line was sin-binned for the Dons and on 46 minutes after Matty Fletcher had been held up Lee Gaskell sent a wonderful ball to Lloyd McEwan-Peters to score his 2nd of the day. Billy Jowitt converting 28-24
Gaskell’s kicking was now coming into play. A 40/20 got Hunslet on the attack, but they couldn’t force a try. Mason Corbett tried a neat kick through, but the Dons managed to clear their line with Hunslet defenders getting into their face.
On 61 minutes though after a Dons knock-on Lee Gaskell again sent a peach of a ball for Mackenzie Turner to nip in the corner. 28-18
Another try would set up a grand finale, and on 70 minutes a Lee Gaskell bomb was left un-diffused. Two Doncaster players came for the rebound, but Billy Jowitt scooped it up to score and convert his own try. 28-24 and game on.
At this point it could have gone either way, but with Pauli Pauli on the park Doncaster always looked dangerous. A half break by the big man was handed on to Ben Johnston who stretched over to score. Hall converting 34-24
It was a little too much for Hunslet to do in the last 5 minutes. They gave it a go when Gaskell tried to kick through for Mackenzie Turner, but that 22 point start had been too much to haul back.
How much will Hunslet rue that first 16 minutes? This was a game they could have won and like the games at Featherstone, Batley and Sheffield for long parts were the better team. However, they need a good performance at home to high flying York next week as Head Coach Kyle Trout starts to imprint his philosophy on the team.
Gaskell, Jowitt and McEwan-Peters were outstanding, whilst Matty Fletcher had a superb game in his 100th career appearance.
DONCASTER – Moy, Briscoe, Lyne, Sutcliffe, Horne, Boas, Hall, Baldwinson, Burns, Matagi, Jones, Smeaton, Laidlaw, Gardiner, Johnston, Pauli, Misky, Johnson.
HUNSLET – Jowitt, Turner, McEwan-Peters, Watson, Rampton, Gaskill, Ackroyd, Hallas, Syme, Fletcher, Kirby, Gallagher, Clavering, Corbett, Carr, Gilmore, Larroyer, Wood.
