Match Report: Doncaster 38-24 Coventry

Coventry returned from Yorkshire empty-handed as Doncaster produced a dazzling second half display to wrestle victory away from their visitors.

Three tries before half-time put Cov in the box seat with a 24-10 interval lead but they had no answer to their resurgent hosts who bagged four tries in the second period to claim maximum points.

Coventry made the perfect start, claiming their opening try after five minutes when, from a line-out, the ball was working to Senitiki Nayalo who powered the five metres over the line. Tommy Mathews slotted over the conversion.

The hosts hit back with a penalty from Alex Dolly in front of the posts after Cov had been caught offside and they would have posted their first first try soon after when a rapid break down the left saw winger Jordan Olowofela heading towards the line only for him to knock-on when tackled just short of the line.

Coventry scored their second try on 23 minutes with another close-range effort from the returning Matt Kvesic. Jimmy Martin had gone close on the left wing before the ball was worked inside for Jake Henry to barge through and although he was unable to ground the ball, the former Worcester Warriors man gathered and dotted down. Mathews again added the extras.

Another knock-on denied Logovi’i Mulipola a first Knights try but they did cross the line just before the half-hour when a weaving run from Telusa Veainu took his to within five metres before his pass was picked up by Dolly to score, his conversion closing the gap to 14-10.

But it was the visitors who ended the half the stronger.

Mathews slotted over a penalty on 32 minutes and then, two minutes before the break, Martin intercepted a loose pass from Doncaster’s Zach Kerr and raced the 30 metres to the line, diving between the posts for his side’s third try which was converted by Mathews.

Momentum quickly switched to the hosts in the second half though after they were awarded a penalty try six minutes in after a driving maul had been hauled to the floor just inches from the line, Cov skipper Jordan Poole being sent to the sin bin in the process.

Ten minutes later it was all-square when a cross-field kick from Russell Bennett to the far side was gathered by Obe Ene in acres of space and he scored in the corner, Dolly converting.

Doncaster were on a roll now and they led for the first time three minutes later when a kick ahead was pounced on by Zach Kerr as bobbled over the line and they completed their second half fightback when, with 12 minutes to go, the ball was worked across the pitch to Olowofela who had the legs to run the ball home. Dolly slotted over the extras each time.

Line-Ups:

Doncaster: Veainu; Rokoduguni, Olowofela, Kerr, Cross (Ene 9); Bennett (Bunting), Dolly (Fox 72); Turner, Roberts (Chapman 50), Mulipola (Thiede 48); Murphy, Williams; Hopkinson (Smeaton 52), Tait (McGuire 68), Strong.

Coventry: Trotter; Opoku (Lane 64), Henry, Morris, Martin; Mathews (Richman 68), Maunder (Barton 62); Trinder (Warren 64), Poole, Raymont (Johnson 60); Green (Owen 60), Anstey; Ball, Kvesic (Hinkley 60), Nayalo (Ma’asi 50).

Referee: Hamish Smales

Half-Time: Doncaster 10-24 Coventry

Attendance: 1,416

Scorers:

Doncaster

Tries: Dolly (29), Penalty (46), Ene (56), Kerr (59), Olowofela (67)

Conversions: Dolly (29, 56, 59, 67)

Penalties: Dolly (13)

Coventry

Tries: Nayalo (5), Kvesic (23), Martin (38)

Conversions: Mathews (5, 23, 38)

Penalties: Mathews (32)