RECAP: Workington Town 36 Doncaster RLFC 12 - Dons well beaten in League One play-off final

Doncaster RLFC tackle Workington Town for a place in the Betfred Championship today – follow live updates here.
Liam Johnson scores for Doncaster in the play-off final against Workington Town. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX LtdLiam Johnson scores for Doncaster in the play-off final against Workington Town. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX Ltd
Liam Johnson scores for Doncaster in the play-off final against Workington Town. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX Ltd

The Dons travelled up to Cumbria yesterday ahead of the 1pm kick off at Derwent Park.

Richard Horne’s side have had to do it tough in the play-offs having already beaten Hunslet, North Wales Crusaders and Keighley Cougars to reach the final.

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Doncaster were relegated from the Championship in 2015 and have fallen short in the play-offs on three occasions since then. Is today the day they return to the second tier?

Photo: Rob TerracePhoto: Rob Terrace
Photo: Rob Terrace

Workington: Holroyd, Young, Brown, Bickerdike, Olstrom, Doran, Forber, Lightowler, O’Donnell, O’Brien, Fitzsimmons, Barnes, Dawson. Interchange: Henson, Clarke, Singleton, Wilson.

Dons: Taulapapa, Halliday, Smeaton, Tali, Greensmith, Sweeting, Beharrell, Braham, Cockayne, Douglas, Johnson, Ollett-Hobson, Foster. Interchange: Holdstock, Johnston, Whitmore, York.

Final score: Workington Town 36 Doncaster RLFC 12

80 There’s the hooter. Town have been promoted to the Championship and they were deserved winners on the day. Doncaster were behind for the entire game and another comeback proved to be beyond them on this occasion.

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76 Try Workington. Holroyd is over. That’s the icing on the cake for Town. Forber converts.

75 The home fans are in fine voice now. Doncaster’s race is ran. Town are running the clock down.

71 Try Workington. That is probably that. Successive penalties allowed Town to move up the field and O’Brien spots a gap and scores. Forber adds his fifth conversion of the game.

68 York is again held up over the line. Town are defending well and a return to the Championship appears to be slipping away from the Dons.

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61 Taulapapa can’t hold a high kick but Town fail to take advantage of a great position. Greensmith leads the charge out.

60 Dons go close again but York just can’t gather up Beharrell’s clever kick and Town survive.

60 Holdstock close to going over for the visitors but the referee rules that the pass went forward.

57 Penalty for Doncaster and they’re within touching distance of the line but the chance goes begging as Johnson can’t hold the pass.

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55 The Dons were, of course, 26-12 down at Keighley last weekend and we know what happened next...

52 Young almost acrobatically scores out wide for Town but can’t get it down. Doncaster must get the next try, you feel.

48 Try Workington. A Taulapapa error lets Town off the hook and from the resultant set Henson goes over after a clever little grubber kick to himself. Forber’s conversion goes in off the post.

46 York is held up over the line. Dons on the front foot.

44 Positive start to the second half from the Dons. They came from behind in incredible fashion in the last round against Keighley, can they do it again here?

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41 We’re back underway at Derwent Park. The next score could have a huge bearing on this game.

HT 18-12: Workington have enjoyed better field position and applied more pressure – and 18-6 might have been fairer reflection of that first half. But the Dons are right back into the game thanks to that try from Greensmith.

40+4 TRY DONS! Doncaster move it through the hands and Greensmith finishes it off wide on the left. Beharrell kicks the conversion from out wide.

37 Try Workington. This time there’s no stopping Town. Their pressure pays off as a nice offload from Fitzsimmons releases Forber to go in under the posts. Forber adds the extras.

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33 Doncaster have really been tested defensively in this first half and they’ve stood up to the challenge. Henson this time charges towards the line but his path is blocked.

30 Cockayne gets Doncaster into a good area but he’s knocked on.

27 More Town pressure with a kick through but Halliday does well to put the ball into touch.

22 Taulapapa does well to deal with a wicked bounce in a dangerous area. Town are defending from the front with some big hits but Cockayne does really to break and ease the pressure on Dons.

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15 Try Workington. Despite still being a man down, Fitzsimmons goes over from close range and Forber again converts.

6 TRY Dons! Dons make their numerical advantage count instantly as Liam Johnson powers over. Beharrell adds the extras.

5 O’Donnell has been sin-binned for a late challenge on Beharrell. Town down to 12 men.

1 Try Workington. Brown is over in the corner for Town after a strong carry from Doran. Nightmare start for the Dons. Forber converts.

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