Doncaster fail in a Cumbrian double

It was Doncaster’s second successive match against Cumbrian opposition after their defeat of Workington last time out.

But the Dons were not so lucky this time though as Whitehaven triumphed 25-18.

The first half saw 16 penalties given by referee Warren Turley which disrupted the games, with just two tries being scored.

The first came from visiting winger Stewart Sanderson, who collected a kick from Paul Cooke then outsrpinted Loz Hamzat to cross in the corner. Cooke converted off the touchline to give the Dons a six-point lead.

The following 20 minutes saw neither side able to gain a decisive foothold in the game although Doncaster had superior field position.

The introduction of Carl Sice, replacing the injured Stephen Fox, gave Whitehaven the spark they where looking for as he sidestepped two defenders to go in under the posts. Carl Rudd converted to draw the game level, and that was the way it stayed till half-time.

The dons would have been the unhappiest team at this point, as they could not convert the field position that they had.

Whitehaven started to rack up the points in the second half which started with a Sice try in the 43rd minute, which was converted.

Jamie Rooney dropped a goal in the 61st minute, Jessie Joe Parker then crossed two minutes later, although Rooney’s conversion hit the post.

Doncaster started their fightback for a bonus point through Carl Hughes, former Super League star Cooke converted.

But the fightback was stopped when Richard Varkulis crossed in the 71st minute. Hughes crossed again three minutes later to secure a bonus point. Doncaster will be unhappy with the result but the performance will be satisfying for the Dons.

Whitehaven: Palfrey, Calvert, Wiper, Parker, Hamzat, Rooney, Rudd, Houghton, Hemingway, Cullnean, Varkulis, Wilson, Doran. Substitutes: Sice, Fox, Beattie, Haggerty.

Doncaster: Waterman, Colton, Spurr, Cowling, Sanderson, Cooke, Fawcett, Castle, Kesik, O’Laughlin, Robinson, Kelly, Emmett. Substitutes: Powley, Hughes, Lawton, 
Spires.

Referee: W Turley (RFL).