Doncaster RLFC 0-56 York Knights: Match Report

York Knights put one hand on the League Leaders Shield, after a 56-0 win over Doncaster at the Eco Power Stadium in the Betfred Championship.

With one game to go, they’re two points clear of second place Toulouse but with a superior points difference which will take a huge effort to overturn.

They had the better of the play for most of the game, and when Doncaster did manage spells of pressure, the will to work for each other in defence was evident.

An impressive second half, which included a Jesse Dee hat-trick, meant they’d scored 122 unanswered points in two games against Doncaster.

A knock on in the first set from Doncaster gave York some early territory. They went close to opening the scoring when Kieran Buchanan was held up before Connor Bailey was also prevented from grounding the ball on the last of the set.

Another Doncaster error soon gave York good field position again. As Paul McShane put a grubber kick through on the last, another knock on gave York the scrum 10 metres out. Ben Jones-Bishop had the line open to him, only for a challenge from Edene Gebbie to knock the ball out of his grasp.

The Knights were dominant and Doncaster were struggling to make any impact in the York half. That pressure eventually became fruitful when Toa Mata’afa crashed through for the first of his hat-trick from a short pass from Harris, who added the goal.

More pressure led to a drop out from beneath the Doncaster posts, and when McShane laid off a short ball for Connor Bailey, the forward spun through the tacklers to score. Harris converted.

Harris almost scored himself when Doncaster’s defence couldn’t deal with a kick through on the last, only for him to knock on as he touched down.

With almost half an hour gone, Doncaster got into York’s 10 metre area for the first time. Pauli Pauli earned the home side a penalty just short of the line, and with the extra tackles in the bag, Gebbie looked like he’d danced his way through for a try. However, play was called back for obstruction and the Knights had ridden the storm.

Craig Hall looked like he’d scored for Doncaster when Mata’afa failed to deal with a high kick. However an offside call meant York regained possession.

With ball in hand, York still were making good metres, and Harris turned provider again for Mata’afa for their third converted try of the game.

There was another short spell of pressure from Doncaster before the break, but the Knights’ defence was characteristically strong.

Just after half time, Doncaster had a great chance when Luis Johnson broke clear and fed the supporting Connor Robinson, only for the former York favourite to be hauled down and knock on in the process, just metres out from the line.

This was the start of a spell of pressure in York’s half, and coupled with penalties conceded, the Knights were being tested. More Doncaster errors along with more tough defence meant York couldn’t be broken down.

Doncaster were looking a better side than in the first half, but a mistake in the York 20 metre zone led to another York try, Oli Field pounced on a loose ball to feed Scott Galeano who didn’t need asking twice to go 70 metres to score. Harris again added the goal.

Oli Field was next to score, taking a wonderful pass from Jesse Dee, to step through the defence. Harris added his fifth conversion of the game and the floodgates then opened.

Dee followed that with an easy try, taking the pass from Galeano who was first to reach a McShane kick long down field. Harris again was accurate.

Dee scored again after some wonderful passing between himself and Galeano, which simply opened up space at pace for another converted try.

When Ata Hingano made a break it looked like he’d be next on the score sheet, only for him to unselfishly give Dee the ball for his hat trick.

Harris missed his first conversion of the day, but the scoreboard kept turning when Oli Field danced his way through for a second of the game.

Mata’afa completed his hat-trick with a minute to go after a Hingano break, and McShane added the final points with the conversion to round off another vital win as they prepare to head in to the play offs.

Doncaster: Hall, Briscoe, Lyne, Hey, Gebbie, Johnston, Robinson, Bowden, Boas, Matagi, Jones, Smeaton, Knowles

Subs: Pauli, Misky, Hepi, Johnson

18th Player: Savelio

Tries: None

Goals: None

York: Mata’afa, Jones-Bishop, Buchanan, Field, Galeano, Hingano, Harris, Martin, McShane, Antrobus, Dee, Bailey, Thompson

Subs (all used): Cook, Santi, Fitzsimmons, Clark

18th Player: Dagger

Tries: Mata’afa (11,34, 79), Bailey (18), Galeano (50), Field (57, 72), Dee (61, 65, 68)

Goals: Harris (7/9), McShane (1/1)

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