Doncaster Phoenix secure Midlands Premier Division survival

After producing a 90-point game at Lichfield back in December this fixture was always going to be a high scoring event and the home side started at a pace with two tries in the first 15 minutes from Will Holling and fly-half Will Burden, both converted by the latter.

Lichfield responded with a pair of penalties and two tries of their own, one converted to take an unexpected lead on 20 minutes, though this only rallied Phoenix to up the pace.

The home side restored the lead on the half hour mark when prop Mat Talaese went over and another try was quickly added by man of the match scrum-half Sam Pocklington, with Burden again converting both to put Phoenix 28–18 ahead.

They further extended their lead when Cypriot international prop forward Stylianos Theoklitou-Panagiotou scored an unconverted try, though the visitors did knock over another penalty at the end of the half for Phoenix to go in leading 33–21.

The start of the second half saw Phoenix run riot and notch up three more tries before the hour mark with Pocklington again, centre Will Smith and winger Sam Nunn all going over for scores, with Nunn now taking over the kicking duties and converting two of them.

With the game sealed Phoenix did allow the visitors in for a couple of converted tries but a loose kick out of defence by Lichfield saw the try of the game scored by Phoenix full back James Wright.

In the dying seconds Will Smith picked up on a loose pass to go over in the corner for his second.