Joe Ford and Sir Ian McGeechan celebrate first win as Doncaster Knights coaching duo

It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t as convincing as some other teams have enjoyed against the division’s bottom markers, but after the upheaval of the last few weeks, precipitated by the sudden departure of Steve Boden as director of rugby some three weeks ago, it was a good result nonetheless.

Ford has been picking the team for three weeks now and has two wins and a draw in the Championship in that time.

British and Irish Lions legend Sir Ian McGeechan has been brought in as consultant director of rugby and after watching last week’s defeat to Coventry, this was his first game of real influence having begun work last Thursday in an advisory capacity to Ford.

Two Russell Bennett penalties and a penalty try helped Doncaster establish a 13-5 interval lead at Scottish on Saturday.

After Scottish then pulled to within a point after a converted try to start the second half, Doncaster reasserted their authority, first through a try from George Roberts which Bennett converted, and then a score from Maliq Holden, converted again by the unerring boot of Bennett to make it 27-12 to the Knights.

Full credit to London Scottish, though, as they never gave in and a penalty and a third try brought them to within striking distance again, just seven points adrift with four minutes remaining.

Doncaster kept possession in Scottish’s half to try and eke out the win, one that was sealed at the death by Ollie Fox, Bennett converting for a fourth time as Doncaster moved up to third before Cornish Pirates retook the position on Sunday.