Doncaster run out comfortable winners against Hunslet Hawks

Doncaster RLFC cemented their grip on fifth spot in the Betfred League One table after clipping Hunslet Hawks’ wings at the Eco-Power Stadium.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

A first half brace by winger Tom Halliday helped secure the Dons a 12-0 interval lead which laid the foundations for their 36-6 win.

The wet conditions made for a tight first half with few scoring chances but the game opened up in the second half with stand-off Ben Johnston becoming more of a running threat on his return to action after a five-match ban.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hunslet, who adopted a more open game plan in the first quarter, went close against the run of play before the Dons opened the scoring on 12 minutes.

Tom Halliday scores for the Dons. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIXTom Halliday scores for the Dons. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX
Tom Halliday scores for the Dons. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX

The ball was worked to the right from the resulting drop out after Hunslet were forced to drop out from under their posts after they had done well to deny centre Robbie Storey, where Halliday finished in style from close range. Scrum-half Connor Robinson, another to show up well, added the extras from the touchline.

Halliday took full advantage of his opposite number making a complete hash of dealing with a high ball just inside his own 20 when latching on to a favourable bounce and racing in at the corner for a second try on 25 minutes.

Robinson failed to add the extras but added a 40th minute penalty to secure his side a 12-0 interval lead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Robinson showed the sort of finishing that head coach Richard Horne had been looking for from him when racing in for the Dons’ third try, which he goaled, to make it 18-0 early in the second half.

He would have had a second try on 52 minutes had he latched on to a loose ball close to the line but it didn’t prove costly with full-back Ben Howe touching down out wide for another converted try.

Howe also bombed a chance from Halliday’s inside pass as the Dons, for whom prop Dean Roberts showed up well in the second half, as did Keelan Foster in the first.

Winger Travis Corrion outjumped his opposite number to touch down from a high kick to the corner by Robinson who again added the extras to make it 30-0 on the half hour.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The one-way traffic continued with second-rower Aaron York running on to a short ball to claim another converted try.

Hunslet had rarely troubled the Doncaster defence in the second half but finished strongly and came close to adding to their late consolation try.

Dons: Howe, Halliday, Smeaton, Storey, Corrion, Johnston, Robinson, Foster, Cockayne, Mathiou, Ollett-Hobson, York, Petersen. Subs: McConnell, Roberts, Ruan, Whitmore.