North Wales 28 Doncaster 41

by NRL

Doncaster continued their strong start to the season as they pulled away from North Wales Crusaders in the second half with a bit more experience and that decisive touch when it was needed.

The lead was exchanged between the two sides constantly in the first half as there really wasn't anything between the sides, but ten points in the opening ten minutes of the first half really put Donny in the driving seat.

It was the visitors who set the pace early on and Spiers' power allowed him to go over for a try early on, in what turned out to be an influential display from the prop.

Crusaders replied after eight minutes when Broadbent sent over Simon Stephens following a break down the wing, but Sam Broadbent couldn't stear them into the lead and his attempt in the corner was cancelled out as he was in-touch.

Chris Spurr regained the advantage for Doncaster with a superb leg-drive from close range enabling him to score, but Billy Sheen cancelled that score out and brought his side on level terms.

The momentum shifted the home sides way after 25 minutes and several good chances went beckoning, which really should have been taken. Andy Moulsdale did force his way over from acting half from around 5 metres, which put Crusaders in the lead for the first time.

Crusaders should have gone into the break with a lead and if they had, few would have said it wasn't deserved. Their lack of discipline gave Donny the opportunity with consecutive penalties near their line and they couldn't handle Spiers when he dived over for his second.

Tony Millers' men improved after the interval and Paul Cooke latched onto a dropped ball from Adam Clay to take them back into the lead.

Craig Fawcett increased that lead further as gaps in the home sides defence started to appear. It was all too easy for Fawcett to exploit as he eased his way through.

Crusaders hit back as Anthony Morrison's brilliant touchline pass found Massam and he showed great strenght to get out of Sanderson's reach to touch down in the corner.

But that came to no avail as Mike Butterfield found his way through a gap for a try and then Dean Colton's neat pass to Fawcett took them into a comfortable position going into the later stage of the match.

A fantastic move for Crusaders' fifth try of the day gave them a glimmer of hope, but Fawcett's drop-goal put any hope of a Crusaders comeback to bed.

The try came from a break by Tommy Johnson as new-recruit Alex Trumper sent him through a hole. A poor attempt at a grubber kick from Johnson come off, Adam Clay collected and cut inside to finish nicely, setting up an interesting finish.

Fawcett, who held everything together for Donny on the day, slotted the late drop-goal and also denied the Crusaders of a well-deserved bonus point.

North Wales Crusaders
1.Tommy Johnson
2.Adam Clay
3.Ian Cross
4.Sam Broadbent
5.Rob Massam
6.Andy Moulsdale
7.Billy Sheen
8.Jonny Walker
9.Lee Hudson
10.Iwan Brown
11.Andy Gorski
12.Anthony Morrison
13.Simon Stephens
Subs:
14.Owain Brown
18.Jamie Clark
16.Alex Trumper
17.Owain Griffiths

Tries: Stephens 8, Sheen 25, Moulsdale 29, Massam 56, Clay 72
Goals: Broadbent 4/5

Doncaster RLFC
1.Mike Butterfield
2.Stewart Sanderson
3.Chris Spurr
4.Lee Waterman
5.Tom Hodson
6.Paul Cooke
7.Craig Fawcett
8.Mark Castle
9.Kyle Kesik
10.Russ Spiers
17.Mike Kelly
12.Craig Lawton
13.Mike Emmett
Subs:
14. Nathan Powley
11.Fran Welsh
16.Craig Robinson
15.Dean Colton

Referee: Jamie Bloem
HT: 18-18
Attendance: 705
MOTM: Craig Fawcett

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