Doncaster RLFC: Frustration for Kieran Cross as he watches from side

The former Doncaster Toll Bar star, whose eye for a gap and support play has been badly missed, has played just eight games this season and will not play again this year.

Cross broke his leg and both broke and dislocated his ankle in the home game against West Wales Raiders, who the Dons take on this weekend in the return, at the start of last month.

“That was my first game back since falling awkwardly and hurting my shoulder in the home game against Coventry back in April,” recalled Cross.

“That was a bit of a freak injury in that I broke a tackle then lost my balance and fell over and landed badly.

“Although I won’t be able to do much for the next three months or so, I’ve started going back down to the training sessions and it’s good to be back around the boys again.

“I’ve also been to a couple of recent games including the two played at Featherstone last week.

“It was very disappointing for the lads to suffer a last-minute defeat against both Newcastle in the league and Sheffield Eagles in the 1895 Cup quarter-final.

“The league has always been our priority though this season and it was important that we got back to winning ways at Coventry at the weekend.

“We’ve got to be looking to start stringing some results together now in order to make sure that we get into the play-offs and hopefully get promoted back to the Championship.

“We made a bit of a mixed start to the season and probably lost games we were expected to win but I think we’ve turned the corner in the last few weeks.

“We’ve just got to learn to close out games better against the other top sides - which we’ll need to do if we get into the play-offs - but I think we are starting to get there.

“We’ve also got to look to improve our points difference whenever possible – and Saturday’s game at West Wales gives us a chance to do that – because given how close a lot of the teams in the play-off places currently are the final positions could be decided by that.”