Plymouth Albion 27 Doncaster Knights 22: Keating scores individual try and then suffers serious injury

Keating suffered the injury in the second half as the game was slipping out of Doncaster’s grasp.

The first half had belonged to Keating, who in an outrageous individual effort bea three men before chipping the cover to touch down in the corner.

It was Plymouth who came out of the blocks quickest with flanker Sam Hocking being driven over from a well-worked lineout. Paul Roberts added the conversion.

The impressive Jamie Lennard registered the Knights’ first points with a penalty, but it was Keating’s audacious solo try that gave Brett Davey’s men the narrowest of leads. Lennard extended the margin shortly afterwards.

Tempers began to flair with the Plymouth second-rows trying to outmuscle their opposition, but the Knights were determined to make their physicality felt. Although an inability to clear their lines allowed the home side to stay on top and a neat piece of work from Michael Stupple gave winger Thomas Bowen an easy debutant try between the sticks.

This time Roberts made no mistake after two misses to put the Devon side in front. In the closing minutes of the half Roberts and Lennard exchanged penalties for a slender 17-14 Albion lead at the interval with Knights yet to find a higher gear. Doncaster were again caught cold by the early threat as Roberts slotted a penalty in the first minute of the second hld.

Canadian lock Brett Beukeboom nudged Plymouth into a healthy lead. Lennard kept Knights in touching distance with a penalty, before Keating took a powerful blow to the shoulder and was forced to leave the field.

A colossal catch and drive inside the Plymouth 22, resulted in Buckley bludgeon over for a consolation try.