Leeds Carnegie have racked up the points in recent weeks with comfortable wins, but needed 25 unanswered points to dig themselves out of a hole against Yorkshire rivals Doncaster on Saturday.

Head coach Neil Back was revelling in it all as he watched the mental and physical abilities of his promotion-favourites put under the spotlight in a difficult opening half.

"I was thoroughly enjoying the challenge," said Back, whose side spent the first 30 minutes in the unfamiliar territory of their own half.

"It was just what we needed with Bedford coming up next weekend.

"We needed the intensity raising and we got that.

"The good thing is we maintained our composure. At half-time we were really upbeat. They knew if they stuck to their gameplan they would get the victory.

"The guys are disappointed we didn't get a fourth bonus point and the thing we need to work on coming out of that match is our decision-making."

One player who will heed that warning is full-back Leigh Hinton, who scored two tries but also gifted Doncaster with their only try in the first half.

"I scored three tries today," joked Hinton, whose ill-advised pass in the 17th minute allowed Bevon Armitage to scamper between the posts.

"When that happens you just have to put it behind you and get on with it. The important thing is not to panic.

"Our system was put under the test today and we believed in it and came through.

"Not everyone in this division is going to roll over and make it easy for us and that was the case today. We have got to use the whole 80 minutes to get the result."