'Sign of a good team': Joe Ford's Doncaster Knights claim landmark win at Ealing Trailfinders

Knights won 36-35 at the reigning second-tier champions, bouncing back in fine style from a surprise defeat at home to Nottingham a week earlier.

Jordan Olowofela scored a hat-trick of tries – the latter in the 70th the go-ahead score they had to defend - and Rhys Tait notched the first. Alex Dolly kicked 16 points in a game in which there was never more than a converted try between the two teams.

"It’s no good for the heart-rate,” said Ford of his team’s defensive stand. “But you just had a feeling with what we’d put into that game that we weren’t going to concede even though they were battering away at our five-metre line, our lads were just repelling them.

"I’m very proud. We got it wrong last week in a lot of areas so it was a really challenging week for us as a group.

"We learnt a massive lesson last week, we know we have to be on it every week.

"So I couldn’t be prouder of everyone, even the guys who weren’t involved. A massive group of effort.

"Coming down here with a real good mindset to get stuck in and from minute one to minute 82 it was everything and more.

"It’s a sign of a good team but we’ve got to go and back that up now against London Scottish.”