Doncaster Knights coach Steve Boden blasts players' lack of desire' after defeat at Ampthill

Beaten by five tries to two, the Knights have fallen to seventh in the league and although they showed some improvement in the second half in which they scored tries by replacement hooker George Roberts and winger Maliq Holden, Boden felt let down.

"We showed a lack of desire and our work rate was poor,” said Boden (pictured). “We have a loyal group of supporters who travel and I feel sorry for them because they had to watch the manner in which we lost.

“We couldn’t hold the ball and the lineout didn’t function, and what I can’t understand is why we played with more energy in the last 20 minutes than we did in the first.

"If we play like this against Coventry this Saturday, we could be beaten by 50 points. Coventry are a very physical side and are all the things we are not.

“We need changes for next season and so far our recruitment is going well.”

Doncaster must be sick and tired of facing clubs from Bedfordshire because in the last two Championship games this month against the county’s two Championship clubs, Bedford Blues and now Ampthill, the Knights have lost badly..conceding 12 tries and almost 80 points, not what Boden expects from his full-time squad.

The Knights’ indiscipline at Dillingham Park was also an issue as preparations begin for the visit of Coventry who’re third in the league on 59 points compared with Doncaster’s 39.

Early in the first half, yellow cards on eight minutes and 14 against half backs Sam Oliver and Alex Dolly reduced Doncaster to 13 men only as Ampthill’s control put them 17-0 ahead at half time.

The second half saw Doncaster play with more authority with Roberts scoring on 45 minutes and then Holden in the 67th, but Ampthill added to their three first half tries by scoring two more.

Ampthill: Bacon, Skelcey (Rankin 77), Worth, Parks, Dawkins, Hardwick, White (Finlay 74), Flynn (Nearchou 64), Gallagher (Adejimi 74), Sproston (Warren 52), Beckett, Boon, Brown (Merigan 71), Ryan (Strong 56), Wilson (Irvine 74).

Doncaster Knights: McBryde, Simpson, Margetts, Edwards, Holden, Olver (Metcalf 54), Dolly (Yarnell 60), Wayland (Owen 53), Holling (Roberts 40), Armstrong (Foster 40), Ehizode, Williamson (Vukasinovic 51), Cardew (Sigren 53), Tait, Hudson (Daly 62).

Referee: Harry Walbaum(RFU).