Doncaster RLFC seal play-off spot with narrow win over London Skolars

But with other results going against them over the weekend the Dons remain fifth and can still be caught by Workington Town in the run-in.

The game was probably closer than many people had predicted given the fact that Skolar had dropped from second to seventh as a result of losing their last six games – but not so Dons head coach Richard Horne.

“They had run Oldham close the previous week and we knew that it would be tough and a real physical encounter because they needed to win to keep their play-off hopes alive,” said Horne.

“We needed to win to keep in touch with the top four and I thought we started well and midway through the first half we were leading 16-0 and in control.

“But they got back into the game on the back of a couple of errors and a couple of penalties and that has been the story of our season so far.

“They made some inter changes which gave them more spark and tempo which we struggled to live with for the rest of the half.

“We didn’t make the best of starts to the second half but we then had a spell of ten minutes or so when we thought we’d done enough and led 22-12.

“But they scored twice through centre Guy Armitage, who we’d love to have kept after his trial game but we couldn’t afford him, to level it at 22-22 late on with the conversion to come and Thorman hadn’t missed a kick all game.

“Fortunately for us he missed it and Matty Beharrell won the game for us with a late drop goal.”