Doncaster RLFC scrape opening day win against Hunslet

But for a late conversion by Jake Sweeting, who played an important role while on loan from Featherstone Rovers in helping the Dons reach the 2021 play-off final, coming back off the near post, the home side would have had to settle for a share of the spoils instead of hanging on for an 18-16 win.

Hunslet, who look to have recruited well, certainly didn’t deserve to go home empty handed and the Dons could have had few complaints had they taken the spoils.

Hopes that the Dons started the season with a side very similar to the one beaten by Swinton in last season’s play-off final would help them to hit the ground running failed to materialise.

They only really showed their potential in the second quarter during which they scored two of their three tries to go in with a flattering 18-6 interval lead.

Hunslet made a lively start and drew first blood when centre Joseph Burton jinked his way past two defenders close to the line for a try converted by Sweeting.

Winger Tom Halliday did well to make the ball dead after his opposite number, Kieron Lawton, son of former Dons skipper Craig, looked set to win the race to the loose ball after he and full-back Elliot Hall had failed to deal with a kick.

There were chances at both ends before former Super League star Brett Ferres, who showed enough on his league debut to indicate that he will prove a valuable addition, ran strongly before off-loading to the supporting Hall.

Scrum-half Connor Robinson added the extras as he did when loose-forward Loui McConnell rounded off a 50m move initiated by Johnston and supported by Dave Petersen.

Halliday cut inside past several defenders for a third converted on the stroke of half time.

Hunslet continued to capitalise on some poor kicking and last tackle plays by the Dons and dominate the second half territorially. Impressive prop Steve Crossley scored a close-range converted try on 58 minutes to cut the deficit to six points.

Apart from when centre Jack Sanderson was held just short in the corner, the Dons rarely threatened to add to their account.

They continued to struggle to deal with kicks in their own half and paid the price on 75 minutes when winger Jack Render took advantage of a kindly deflection to score out wide.

Dons: Hall, Halliday, Hey, Sanderson, Corion, Johnston, Robinson, Foster, Burns, James, Smeaton, Ferres, McConnell. Subs: Knowles, Petersen, Ollett-Hobson, Kenga.