Fight and flair left in play-off underdogs Doncaster

The Knights posted four tries to the Exiles’ three in a game full of attacking flair, proving they are still capable of battling with the best teams in the Championship as they claimed a try bonus point.

Two late tries from promotion-candidates Welsh sealed the victory against Brett Davey’s side, who were unrecognisable from the team that played Nottingham and Bristol in the first two play-off fixtures.

Doncaster scored three excellent tries in the first half. Gareth Quinn-McDonogh, pulling the strings at fly-half, opened up a hole for flanker Andy Boyde to dash to the line from 30 metres out before departing with a pulled hamstring.

This setback did not stop the Yorkshire side as the outstanding Oli Goss mirrored the first try by darting over.

Dougie Flockhart added both conversions to put the Knights ahead 14-12. Ill-discipline cost them as Exiles’ full-back Alex Davies kept Welsh in touch with four accurate penalties.

But with the last move of the half, Flockhart latched onto his own grubber to touch down in the corner.

The turning point arrived after the restart as stand-in captain Matt Challinor was sin-binned for cynical play from Jack Moates’s quick tap. Welsh profited from the resultant lineout, Daniel George barrelling over.

With Welsh now in the ascendancy, Doncaster again contributed to their own downfall. No 8 Chris Planchant saw yellow for an off-the-ball incident with winger Joe Ajuwa.

Davies nudged a further penalty to put the hosts ahead and, with 10 minutes to go, Doncaster suffered a blow when winger Flockhart’s pass went straight into the arms of Nick Scott, who claimed an interception try.

Hudson Tonga’uiha took the game beyond the plucky Knights, who at least had another score from Flockhart and their first point of the play-offs.

London Welsh: Davies, Scott, Lewis, Tonga-uiha (Whatling 76), Ajuwa, Ross, Stevenson (Moates 54); French (Pittman 76), Nelson (George 40), Tideswell (Bateman 68), Brown (Johnson 76), Corker, Beach, Denbee, Jackson (Russell 76).

Doncaster Knights: Keating, Flockhart, Goss, Burdon, Toft, Quinn-McDonogh, Hallam (Heaney 36); Burke-Flynn (Brown 72), Boden (Jack Yeandle 54), Francis (Alex Brown 54), Challinor, Parsons, Boyde (Kettle 26), Farivarz (Smith 75), Planchant (Bradford 72).