Doncaster RLFC head into the play-offs with confidence as winning run continues against Goole Vikings

Doncaster RLFC will go into the first round of the Betfred Championship play-offs on the back of an eight-match winning run following their 36-14 victory over Goole Vikings on their first visit to the Victoria Pleasure Ground.

With fourth place already secure, and with an eye on this weekend’s home tie against Barrow Raiders, Richard Horne made six changes to the side which started against Sheffield Eagles. That was reflected in a patchy performance which will need to be better against the Cumbrians, as it will be.

Fears that it might take time for the Doncaster players to adapt to the compact 4-G pitch on a wet afternoon were quickly allayed with winger Luke Briscoe going close to a try after less than three minutes after cutting in from the flank.

The big Doncaster following didn’t have to wait long to cheer the game’s first try.

Hooker Issac Misky, who had one of his best games for the club, created the opportunity for half-back Watson Boas to run strongly down the middle before rounding former team-mate Josh Guzdek. With Connor Robinson one of the missing players, skipper Cory Aston took over the kicking duties and gave his side a 6-0 lead.

If the Doncaster supporters expected their side to build on their bright start, they were to be disappointed.

Their early momentum was lost due to several injury hold-ups and they only added one more try, scored by Aston on 27 minutes, before the break during a time when former Dons favourite Brett Ferres was cooling his heels in the sin-bin following a high tackle.

The game brought down the curtain on the 40 year-old’s glittering career and he can feel proud of his efforts on the day as could other former Doncaster players scrum-half Jack Miller, full-back and winger Tom Halliday. All showed up well for the home side on an emotional day for the league’s newest club with three others who have been involved since they were admitted to League One two years ago, also calling time on their careers.

The home side edged the territorial battle at times in the second quarter and went close to a try on several occasions but would have fallen further behind just before the break had Edene Gebbie’s pass to winger Buretta Faraimo been better.

Goole’s hopes of closing the 12- interval gap suffered a blow when half-back Olly Morgan was sin-binned and the Dons wasted no time in capitalising on their numerical advantage when bagging a brace of converted tries to open up a 24-0 lead.

Tom Whitehead took the ball in well before putting Jacob Jones over from close range. Misky then broke quickly from acting half back to set up the chance for Gebbie to touch down but he passed the ball to popular prop Brad Knowles for him to celebrate his 200th career appearance with a try.

Vikings’ earlier efforts were rewarded when centre Keenan Tomlinson put Guzdek over from close range soon after Sam Smeaton had been sin-binned.

The Dons soon regained the initiative, however, with Gebbie breaking from inside his own half and outpacing the cover to score a spectacular long-range try.

Vikings continued to try and do departing coach Scott Taylor proud and Halliday, who had earlier lost the ball over the line in the act of scoring, dived over from a neat pass.

Faraimo kept the scoreboard ticking over with a try in the corner prior to Callum Rutland bagging a late try for the hosts.

Match Facts

Performance: 7/10

Entertainment:7/10

Dons: Gebbie, Briscoe, Hey, Glover, Faraimo, Boas, Aston, Knowles, Misky, Matagi, Smeaton, Johnson, J. Jones. Subs: McConnell, Baldwinson. C Jones, Whitehead. 18th Hepi.