Doncaster RLFC well beaten by Sheffield Eagles in 1895 Cup

It was the third time since the competition, restricted to Championship and League One clubs, was launched in 2019 that Eagles had knocked the Dons off the Wembley trail.

The first winners of the tournament, and beaten finalists last season, Eagles finished worthy 50-18 winners, although their margin of victory certainly flattered them.

The Dons were still in with a chance of victory when getting back to within eight points midway through the second half, but Eagles killed off any comeback hopes when loose-forward Titus Gwaze bagged a quickly-taken brace and they added two further converted tries in the final minutes.

Eagles started brightly and scored two converted tries to lead 12-0.

A strong run down the left flank by winger Bureta Faraimo gave the Dons’ fans something to cheer but the move broke down 30m out from the Sheffield line.

The Dons enjoyed a spell of pressure in the Eagles’ 20 during which former Sheffield hooker Greg Burns was held up over the line.

Eagles weathered the storm and Corey extended their lead to 14-0 with a penalty goal on the half-hour.

The Dons opened their account on 35 minutes when giant forward Pauli Pauli, put into space by Loui McConnell, managed to scramble over the line after losing his footing as he charged past several defenders.

No sooner had the cheers of the Doncaster fans died down, than full-back Eden Gebbie made the running for a spectacular long-range try.

There looked to be nothing on when he picked up the ball close to his own line but he showed his power when bursting past several defenders to get into space and then wrong-footed several more on the halfway line as he looked for support before continuing his run for another 25m or so before sending the supporting Harvey Horne over for a try on his debut, which Robinson again converted to close the deficit to just two points.

With the half-time hooter poised to sound, hooker Corey Johnson darted over from close range for a third converted try to give Eagles a 20-12 interval lead.

The first try of the second half always looked like being important and Pauli Pauli thought he had scored at the side of the post only to be penalised for a double movement.

Had the try stood then the outcome could have been completely different.

Eagles rode their luck and increased their lead to 12 points on 50 minutes when Welham just managed to force his way over out wide.

That soon became 26-12 following an Aston penalty which left the Dons, whose discipline and handling errors, contributed to their downfall, needing to score three times to win the game.

They pulled one back at the start of the final quarter when Eagles fumbled a loose ball from a kick and Josh Bowden, making his long-awaited debut, touched down under the posts for a try goaled by Robinson, but that was as good as it got.

Dons: Gebbie, Horne, Lyne, Hey, Faraimo, Johnston, Robinson, Bowden, Burns, Matagi, Jones, Sutcliffe, Knowles. Subs: Boas, McConnell, Pauli, Smeaton. 18th man: Misky.