Doncaster Knights v Yorkshire Carnegie: Sproston hopes to end year on a high note

The big prop looked to have given Knights the chance to snatch the spoils when crashing over out wide at the death but the officials decided otherwise following a lengthy discussion and Knights suffered a 15-9 defeat.

“It felt like a try to me but it was obviously a tough decision and the referee had to make the call,” said Sproston ahead of the return.

“We would still have had to convert the try from touch had it been given but at least we’d have been in with a chance to win the game.

“Those sort of things tend to balance themselves out over a season and you sometimes win games you probably haven’t deserved to win.

“We’ve been unlucky in one or two other games that we would probably have won in the previous two years and we’ve not had the rub of the green in others and as a result we’d dropped down to eighth prior to the two B&I Cup games.

“We set ourselves the target of winning our last two Championship games of the year and we are really looking forward to the game against Carnegie.

“If we can beat them not only would it be a great way to end the year but it would put us in good spirits for the resumption of the Championship campaign in late January following our final two B&I Cup pool games.

“Although Carnegie have lost several key players from last season’s side they are still a good team and we are going to have to play well to beat them.

“But we are confident that we can do that and if we do, and other results go our way, we could go into the New Year in or around the top four.”

With Colin Quigley - though he is showing few signs of being ready to hand over the No 3 shirt - now in the latter stages of his Championship career Sproston is hoping to prove himself as his natural successor.

“He’s still playing well and he’s also scoring tries this season,” said Sproston.

“There is a real good competition between the two of us and we both get on really well. It’s really good for me as a young and relatively inexperienced prop to learn from Colin. He’s been very good to me and he’s helped me no end.”

Tonight’s game (7.45pm) is live on Sky Sports.