Ross takes charge as Knights are toppled by Welsh

Former Scotland international fly-half Gordon Ross marshalled his side around the pitch effortlessly at 34.

Doncaster started well and centre Fred Burdon caught the visitors napping to score a second-minute try which Dougie Flockhart converted.

London Welsh hit back and, after failing twice to push over the line from a set piece, Alex Davies got his side on the scorebaord with a 20-metre penalty.

It took some really impressive Knights defence to keep Welsh at bay but, shortly after the half-hour mark, the Doncaster line was breached as James Tideswell crashed over from short range for an unconverted try.

As half-time was approaching, Doncaster made Lee Beach pay for a late tackle as they won their lineout and set up captain Matt Challinor, who, with the help of young prop Tom Francis, barged his way over the line to regain the lead, Flockhart again adding the extras.

London Welsh grabbed a lifeline in stoppage time after Nick Scott finished off some excellent work by his pack to bring his side within a point at the interval.

The second half started very much akin to the first with the Knights on the front foot but this time Burdon lost the ball and was made to pay as Welsh flooded forward.

Ross’s cross-kick found Scott with only prop Royce Burke-Flynn to beat and he was in for his second try. This time Davies converted.

Once they had the lead, Welsh did not look like squandering it with former Knight Ed Jackson scoring his side’s fourth try after a neat lineout drive.

Davies converted and kept the scoreboard ticking, adding two more penalties in the final third.

Knights got a consolation try late on with centre Burdon grabbing his second of the game after some good work by the forwards.

Scott then grabbed his hat-trick after breaking from the line and intercepting well.

Doncaster Knights: Keating, Flockhart, Goss, Burdon, Toft, Quinn-McDonogh, Heaney, Burke-Flynn, Yeandle, Francis, Challinor, Parsons, Makaafi, Bradford, Planchant. Replacements: Andy Brown, Boden, Alex Brown, Kenworthy, Farivarz, Kettle, Smith.

London Welsh: Davies, Scott, Lewis, Tonga’uiha, Ajuwa, Ross, Moates, Pittman, George, Tideswell, Brown, Corker, Beach, Denbee, Jackson. Replacements: Ma’asi, French, Bateman, Johnson, Russell, Lewis, Whatling.

Referee: S Lee (RFU).