Batley Bulldogs 34 Doncaster 6: Kear relieved as Batley end losing run to Dons

Tries from Alex Brown, Shaun Squires and Tom Lillycrop put the hosts 16-0 ahead before Wayne Reittie’s brace left Doncaster 24-0 down at the interval and ended the game as a contest.

The Dons improved in the second period but the damage was already done with further tries from Cain Southernwood and Squires taking Batley past the 30-point mark before Paul Mennell’s late consolation.

Batley head coach John Kear paid tribute to his players after he oversaw his side’s biggest league win of the season.

“The players have stuck together in a tough period for us,” he said. “We’ve been producing good performances in the last few weeks but haven’t been getting the results we want, but the players got the result they deserved today.

“We were excellent in the first half,” he added. “The weather spoiled the quality of our play in the second period, but we’re up to ninth in the table now which I think better reflects where we are as a team.”

Batley: Campbell, Reittie, Ainscough, Squires, A. Brown, Southernwood, Leatherbarrow, Hirst, Blake, Hesketh, Day, Scott, Chandler. Substitutes: Nicholson, Rowe, Lillycrop, J. Brown.

Doncaster: Scott, Doherty, Welham, Waterman, Fox, Sanderson, Mennell, Carbutt, Kesik, Spiers, Kelly, Musolino, Snitch. Substitutes: Emmett, Waller, Clark, Foster.

Referee: A Gill (RFL).