Kenworthy strikes to make it a crucial maximum haul for charging Knights

Having seen their lead cut to just three points following defeat at Fylde the previous weekend, picking up maximum points on home turf was crucial.

Captain Matt Challinor led out the Knights to a rousing reception on his 100th appearance for the club but the cheers were short-lived as Richmond made early headway.

Two penalties from the boot of fly-half Rob Kirby meant the visitors had a six-point lead after 15 minutes.

The Knights improved as the half continued and Paul Roberts got them off the mark with a penalty before openside flanker Michael Hills touched down to score following a catch and drive lineout.

With just over a minute left to play in the first period, the Knights struck again, stand-off Roberts ghosting through and finding captain Challinor in support to score.

The second half mirrored the first as the Knights were unable to continue where they left off prior to the interval.

Kirby’s penalty brought the Londoners to within a converted try but Doncaster sealed the win in the final 10 minutes.

Bruno Bravo darted over to score from the back of a scrum and with time almost up player-coach Glen Kenworthy secured a bonus point, touching down from a driving maul.

Rosslyn Park underlined their promotion credentials with a storming 45-3 win at Wharfedale, scoring six tries in the process.

Park are now on 77 points, just three adrift of the Knights and seven clear of third-placed Fylde after 20 matches.

Wharfedale, who have lowered the colours of several of the leading sides in the division this season, had no answer to the steamroller that manifested as the visiting pack.

The Greens showed spirit in abundance and had a fair share of play in the opening quarter but, after that, they were simply overrun.

Park should have scored in the first minute, winger Charles Broughton dropping the ball a metre from the line. From the clearance, Dale won a penalty, converted by stand-off Tom Barrett from 48 metres.

Five minutes later, Park No 10 Scott Sneddon equalised.

Wharfedale threatened the Park line for a brief period, and Barrett had two further penalty chances beaten by the strong wind, but then the relentless power of the visiting forwards began taking its toll on the home defence.

Scrums were nightmare events for the home pack, yellow cards for No 8 Rob Baldwin and prop Jake Armitage and injury to prop and captain Chris Steel making life yet tougher.

By half-time, Park were in control, a try by full-back Edward Lewis Pratt, plus a penalty try making it 15-3.

The second half was one-way traffic. Sneddon added two further penalties and two conversions, Lewis Pratt grabbed his second try and flanker Sam Shires, substitute Sam Edgerley and scrum-half Callum Grant piled on the agony with tries.

The Dalesmen never let their heads drop and fought tenaciously to the end but are now in sixth position, 20 points behind leaders Doncaster.

Hull Ionians had to settle for a 14-14 draw at high-flying Blaydon but deserved more after a strong performance.

Both the hosts’ two tries were penalty tries, while the Yorkshire side had their chances to take the lead and secure only their second win of the season.

The first penalty try for Blaydon came after 10 minutes when Ionians were penalised for pulling down at a maul, and stand-off Andrew Baggett kicked the conversion.

Ionians pushed for their opening score and, after full-back Chris Reakes had gone close, right-wing Steve Slingsby touched down on 26 minutes, Isaac Green adding the conversion to level the scores.

Ionians collapsed the scrum near the line for Blaydon’s second try, Baggett again on target with the extras, but after the break Ionians hit back hard.

Left-winger Sam Wilson chased his own kick ahead and touched down in the corner on 54 minutes, Green converting to level the match.

Shortly after, Green had a chance to kick Ionians into the lead with a 67th-minute penalty, but his effort went wide.

With injuries to prop Adrian Longbone in the first half and flanker James Tyson in the second, Ionians’ efforts to maintain their pressure and capture a late win came to nothing, but two points may well prove vital at the end of the season, although they are 23 points adrift of next-to-bottom Tynedale.