Report: Doncaster RLFC 54 Oxford RL 4

The Dons were missing Makali Aizue, Matt Nicholson, Kyle Kesik and Mark Castle for their second pre-season run out.

But they still managed to break the 50-point barrier as they set a standard of performance they would like to maintain for the rest of the year.

The start of the game saw a cautious approach by both teams before trialist forward Zac Braham managed to break the deadlock for the home side, forcing his way over from close range.

The lead was then extended 22 minutes in when Dons winger David Foggin-Johnston made an excellent break to give his side great field position from which Louis Sherrif scored in the corner.

Foggin-Johnston, who was voted man of the match, had a hand in the next two Doncaster scores. First, using his tricky footwork, he managed to break the Oxford line again finding Kieran Cross before Liam Welham added to the home side’s growing points tally.

Foggin-Johnston then split the defence again, finding Liam Welham who in turn found Alex Gilbey who scored another try for the Dons. Jordie Hedges added the extras for both tries making the score 22-0.

Aaron Jones-Bishop managed to get his name on a rapidly growing scoresheet in the 35th minute but the Dons weren’t finished there.

On the stroke of half time, as the hooter sounded, Jack Walton went over under the posts, Tom Carr, who took over the kicking duties from Hedges momentarily, added his second conversion of the day to make it 34-0 at the break.

The Dons picked up right where they left off as the second half got underway, with Matty Welham scoring after being sent through a gap in the visitors’ defence.

It was then the turn of Connor Scott to get in on the action, proving that props have great footwork as well as brute strength as he sidestepped his way through the line, bundling tacklers out of the way to go over under the posts. Hedges added the extras making it 44-0.

The Dons were not finished there with hooker Ben Frankland going over twice in the final ten minutes before Oxford’s Louis Richards got the visitors a late consolation try, making the game 54-4 to the Dons as the final whistle blew.