Jersey 13 Doncaster Knights 10: Healing starts now for Knights as eight-year stay nears its end

Doncaster need five-point maximums from their remaining two fixtures – away at Bedford on Wednesday and at home to Plymouth on Saturday – plus a defeat for Jersey in their final game to survive.

In short, Doncaster need a miracle for their eight-year stay in the second tier of English rugby to be extended.

Clive Griffiths, their director of rugby, knows the game is as good as up, but wants his players to continue to show the fight that they demonstrated at Jersey, for the final week of the season.

“The only ‘trophy’ we are playing for now is pride,” said the Welshman, who returned to the club in November to help battle against relegation.

“They’ve got to show me and everyone else what they’ve got left. It’s not beyond us, nothing in sport should surprise you. We have got to believe and hope that something out of the ordinary happens.

“But the healing process has begun.”

Griffiths is in his second spell at the club, having led them to a third-place finish in the second tier in his one and only season in 2006-07.

That is their highest finish in English rugby, but this season has been an altogether more despairing time for Griffiths and everyone at Castle Park.

“It’s been a massively sad time,” he said. “And I’m sorry for the supporters and everyone involved at the club.

“I cannot fault the effort of the players, but if at the end of the day if it’s not good enough, then it’s not good enough.”

Griffiths has already met with members of the board and is willing to stay on next season to help Doncaster bounce back from National One at the first attempt.

“I’ve hinted that I want to,” said Griffiths, 59. “There’s things that need to be discussed. If they want me to stay, I’ll stay.”

Jersey, playing in front of a partisan crowd at St Peter, scored all their points in the first half.

Excellent defensive resolve then saw them hold onto their advantage as Doncaster fought back to keep their Championship hopes alive.

It could not have started much worse for the Knights in front of more than 3,000 people at a packed and rain-soaked St Peter.

A powerful rolling maul was finished by Fred Silcock with only five minutes elapsed.

Play was understandably nervy from both sides with plenty of mistakes and infringements.

Jamie Lennard reduced the deficit with a penalty on a day when accuracy evaded the kickers for both sides.

But a loose ball was pounced upon by Rob Anderson with Guy Thompson completing the move to extend the hosts’ lead.

And a penalty from Mike Le Bourgeois edged Jersey 10 points clear at the break.

The Knights battled back when replacement hooker Ben Sowery touched down to complete a catch-and-drive lineout with Lennard adding the conversion.

There were excellent opportunities for the Knights when Silcock was twice sent to the sin-bin.

A superb run by rugby league-convert Will Sharp almost led to a Knights score while Lennard wasted an opportunity with 10 minutes left that would have put Doncaster in front.

The Knights piled on the pressure in an attempt to at least level and retain some hope of survival but the Jersey defence stood firm.

Griffiths said: “When it’s not going your way, it’s not going your way, it’s as simple as that.

“We had two tries held up on the line, a couple of missed goalkicks, plus numerous opportunities to score and it all adds to the frustration.

“I cannot fault the lads for the effort.

“We made some silly mistakes on the ball at crucial times and people sometimes had a rush of blood, but I will never fault their effort and their will to win.

“Everyone can see the effort and the degree of determination the players gave it.

“We are not a relegation team.”

Jersey: Davies, Copsey, Foster, Bishop, Dawson, Le Bourgeois (Stelling 63), Griffiths (McCormack 56); Barrington (McCarthy 48), Taione, Brennan (Gethings 74), Anderson (Lang 74), Markham, Walker-Blair, Silcock, Thompson. Unused replacements: Felton, Buckle.

Doncaster: Braid, Keating, Mama, Simpson, Sharp, Lennard (Flockhart 72), Bedford (Hallam 64), Davies (Hooper 63), Buckley (Sowery 49), Francis (Brown 63), Challinor, Parson, Kettle, Hafu, Planchant (Boyde 65). Unused replacement: Bergmanus.