Doncaster Knights 16 Moseley 23: Doncaster youngsters find going quite tough

Doncaster Knight's young and relatively inexperienced team were "old-manned" by an experienced Moseley side that came to Castle Park with a simple game plan and stuck to it rigidly. For the Knights' part it was difficult to see what game plan they had.
By The Newsroom
Published 6th Sep 2010, 11:25 BST
Updated 6th Sep 2010, 11:26 BST

For their first home Championship game, Knights' Director of Rugby Lynn Howells made several changes from the side that started at Penzance the previous weekend with centre PJ Gidlow in for the injured Chris Briers and newcomer Nathan Jones replacing Chris Hallam.

In the pack, hooker and team captain Steve Lawrie came in for Steve Boden while new signing Matt Challinor replaced veteran Glen Kenworthy at lock and Latu Makaafi, another newcomer, started in place of Andy Boyde at flanker.

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Moseley went ahead after four minutes when the Knights failed to clear their line from the kick off. They gained a lineout five metres out and their heavy pack drove the lighter Knights over the line for the opening try credited to Chevvy Pennycock which was well converted by fly half Brad Davies.

Knights hit straight back with a penalty from fly half Tristan Roberts and a second penalty by Roberts brought the Knights to within a point but, try as they may, they could not get regular possession to capitalise on the speed of their young backs.

Moseley scored a second try as Roberts's clearing kick was charged down by Neil Mason who gathered the ball to be driven over the line. It was again converted by Davies who also kicked a penalty with the last play of the half.

Starting the second half 17-6 behind, Knights needed a good start and they got it with Roberts' third penalty.

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Unfortunately their indiscipline continued and Davies brought the difference back to 11 points with his second penalty.

The Knights did wake up and start to play as winger Matt Williams scored for Roberts to convert. But from the restart the Knights were penalised and Davies took the lead back to seven points which they held.

Doncaster Knights: McColl, Flockhart, Devlin, Gidlow (Gates 71), Williams, Roberts (Lewis-Pratt 65), Jones (Hallam 65), Thiede, Lawrie, Cusack (Fraser 60), Challinor (Kenworthy 54), Craig, Makaafi (Farivarz 55), Jackson, Cochrane

Moseley: Bressington (Gillick 57), Pons J, MacBurnie, Reay, Styles, Davies, Taylor, Voisey (Williams 48), Caves, Sigley (Voisey 76), Lyons, Stott (Spivey 80), Mason, Pennycock, Pons B (Evans 57) Not used: Lewis, De La Harpe, Maggs.

Related topics:Doncaster KnightsNathan JonesDoncasterCastle Park