Doncaster RLFC beat Barrow to move into play-off spot

And with other results going their way the Dons climbed into the promotion places for the first time in a decade - though under the new IMG grading regime they would not be promoted even if they were to defy all the odds and win the play-off final in October.

The Dons started the game in a similar fashion to that which saw them triumph at Featherstone last time out, with half-backs Connor Robinson and Watson Boas taking the line on and props Suaia Matagi and Brad Knowles posing problems with some strong running as they continued to do during their time on the field.

The Dons would have taken the lead on seven minutes had Robinson, who had dummied his way into space inside the Barrow half, committed their full-back more than he did before feeding the supporting Loui McConnell on his inside.

The Dons continued to force the pace with some entertaining rugby and they took a deserved lead on ten minutes when centre Brad Hey, a deserved winner of the man-of-the-match award, crashed over wide out when rewarding some impressive play in the build-up. Robinson added the extras to give his side a 6-0 lead.

The Dons doubled their lead on 15 minutes with a ‘show and go’ try by Boas which Robinson again converted.

Raiders capitalised on a spell of pressure on 25 minutes when hooker Josh Wood scored from close range to present winger Ryan Shaw with an easy conversion.

The try served to lift their spirits and after forcing the Dons to drop out under their posts, prop Ramon Nunes-Silva charged over for a second converted try to level the scores at 12-12.

Raiders again tested the Doncaster line. before falling behind again shortly before the break. Skipper Sam Smeaton managed to palm a pin-point kick by Robinson back to centre Reece Lyne who capped a solid first-half display when scoring in the corner to earn his side a 16-12 lead.

The Dons extended their lead to eight points when hooker Joe Lovodua touched down in the corner after the ball had been knocked down from a kick.

Barrow hit back and the Dons had to dig deep to keep them out, which they did until Nunes-Silva somehow managed to get the ball away in a three-man tackle over the line, which full-back Luke Cresswell pounced on near enough for Shaw to convert to close the gap to just two points.

Barrow continued to make the running and Dons’ fans were glad to see the return of Knowles and Matagi on 55 minutes.

Lyne scored what Barrow viewed as a controversial try from a kick by Boas with Robinson tagging on the touchline conversion to make it 26-18 after a hold-up in play while the referee dealt with the late tackle on the PNG star.

It was ‘game on’ again when Barrow hit back with a long-range try by winger Andy Bulman who defied a last-ditch cover tackle by full-back Craig Hall to touch down in the corner. Shaw added an equally impressive conversion to again close the gap to just two points.

The Dons’ handling become a bit ragged at times in the final quarter but they went close again through winger Bureta Faraimo on 68 minutes.

Raiders got their noses in front for the first time on 70 minutes. They opened the Dons up down the middle and Cresswell got the better of Hall in a one-on-one to score near enough for Shaw to convert to make it 30-26.

Just when it was beginning to look as though the Dons had run out of ideas, a storming run by Faraimo, which would surely have produced a try had he not lost his footing 20m out, put them back on the attack.

And some smart thinking by winger Luke Briscoe and Boas saw the latter find Lovodua with an angled grubber kick over the line from out wide and the former Hull FC man produced a smart pick-up to score a try which Robinson converted to make it 32-30.

Faraimo then forced his way over from acting half-back in the corner after Pauli Pauli had been held just short. But Robinson’s failure to add the extras meant Raiders still had time to force a draw until a late drop goal by Hall put paid to their hopes.

Dons: Hall, Briscoe, Lyne, Hey, Faraimo, Boas, Robinson, Knowles, Burns, Matagi, Smeaton, Ferres, McConnell. Subs: Holdstock, Lovodua, Pauli, Guzdek. 18th man: Tali.