Knights seething over late try

Doncaster Knights saw their British and Irish Cup clash with Swansea at Castle Park end in ugly scenes as controversial refereeing decisions condemned the Yorkshiremen to defeat in a dramatic finale.

The crowds and the home bench were in uproar deep into added time when Knights captain Chris Hallam received a blow to the head and fell prone to the floor while receiving urgent medical attention – yet the referee did not stop play and Swansea ran in an last-gasp try to secure their win.

The match had been uneventful for 80 minutes, with an early try and penalty by Swansea leading the Knights to respond with three David McIlwaine penalties.

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The game stagnated at 13-9 to Swansea with neither side looking like breaching the line.

As the clock ticked down, the Knights were gunning for a winning try and a dazzling upfield run by full-back Dougie Flockhart gained them the territory they needed. The Knights were finally awarded a penalty try several minutes into added time. McIlwaine’s conversion made it 16-13 with what many believed was the last kick of the game, until the late controversy unfolded.

Doncaster Knights: Flockhart, Toft, Goss (Makaafi 63), Burden, Bateman, McIlwaine, Hallam, Davies (Brown 78), Yeandle, Burke-Flynn, Kenworthy (Planchant 56), D Parsons, Boyde, Bradford (Farivarz 56), Noone (Brown 68-78). Unused replacements: S Boden, Challinor, Keating.

Swansea: Thomas, Harray (Dixon 40), Evans (Williams 58), Watermayer, Walker, Davies, Wells, Jones (Norman 54), John, Clatworthy, Kiley, (Fox 54), Kelly, Gwynn, Lewis, D. Baker (Pardoe 33). Unused replacements: Rees, Torrence.

Referee: J Meredith.