National One: Clark grabs crucial consolation as Knights come up short

The league leaders never hit top gear but salvaged a losing bonus point in the dying seconds, which could well prove to be crucial.

The Knights lead National One by just four points, with three games left and tricky trips to Coventry and Blackheath loom as well as a home encounter with Yorkshire rivals Wharfedale on Saturday.

The home side took the lead after 10 minutes and never fell behind, a penalty from fly-half Scott Sneddon opening the scoring. Sneddon added another first-half penalty to accompany a try from his captain Hugo Ellis with Dougie Flockhart kicking six points in response.

Five minutes either side of the half-time whistle, the Knights lost players to the sin-bin in Chris Hallam and tight-head Ross Davies.

Against 13 men, Park started the second period well and Sneddon soon extended the lead to eight points with another penalty.

A break came for the Yorkshiremen on the hour-mark when Tyson Lewis scored his 19th try of the season but a quick home response through scrum-half Jack Gash meant Rosslyn soon re-established their lead.

Doncaster stuck to their task and earned a late losing bonus point when Mat Clark broke from his own half – but it was too little too late.

Wharfedale returned to winning ways at St Albans, defeating Old Albanians 28-25.

Wharfedale were 14-0 up after 10 minutes thanks to two tries from Scott Jordan, converted by Tom Barrett.

Prop Charlie Hughes replied with an unconverted try before Barrett slotted a penalty and then crossed after taking a return pass from Josh Prell.

It was 25-12 at half-time and though they conceded two unconverted tries and a penalty, Barrett added a penalty to give Wharfedale a precious win in their fight for survival.

Leading with 30 minutes remaining, Hull Ionians shipped 31 unanswered points as they crashed 45-21-45 at home to Tynedale.

The visitors dominated the opening exchanges and centre Ben Frankland raced over after six minutes and stand-off Gavin Beasley converted.

Ionians hit back with flanker Mark Wigham touching down in the 27th minute and scrum-half Isaac Green converted.

Five minutes later, Tynedale were back in front with left winger Sep Visser scoring and Beasley again on target.

Ionians levelled with Wigham and Green combining two minutes before the break and 10 minutes into the second-half the hosts took the lead with centre Joe Martin scoring and Green converting.

But Tynedale, struggling to avoid relegation, hit back after 56 minutes with flanker Dan Temm scoring and Beasley converting to level before Temm added his second try two minutes later.

Centre Jack Harrison added a fifth try for the visitors, Beasley converting, and Hamish Smales also scored, this time full-back Craig Willis converting, before Smales’s second try completed the win.