Doncaster fail to halt losing run as Welsh hold out

Clive Griffiths’s side have not won against their Championship rivals – who face a winding-up order in London today – since 2009 and now slip to fourth.

Joe Carlisle gave Welsh a seventh-minute lead when Doncaster were caught offside.

Declan Cusack had his own attempt at a penalty goal but the fly-half was off target in the 17th minute.

Doncaster were fortunate when Carlisle’s next effort hit a post but it was only a brief respite. Welsh scored the game’s first try in the 25th minute following several phases of pressure from their pack before Kristian Phillips’s clever chip and chase saw the Knights breached.

Carlisle could not add the extras but his side were worthy 8-0 leaders.

Cusack was again off target with another penalty attempt but some fine defence prevented Welsh from driving over and then lock Dave Nolan stole one of the hosts’ line-outs just as Doncaster looked ready to break.

Carlisle did slot one more penalty on the stroke of half-time for an 11-0 interval lead.

Mat Clark made a decent break for Doncaster early in the second period but it amouned to nothing.

However, they did hit back in the 50th minute when Harry Allen, the hooker facing the club he left in the summer, benefitted from a fine driving line-out.

Cusack once more failed with the kick and his side’s progress was halted when captain Richard List was yellow-carded in the 55th minute, the prop penalised for tackling without the ball and Carlisle making it 14-5.

Lloyd Hayes gave them hope, however, when he crossed in the 70th minute. His own conversion attempt was wide and, as much as Doncaster pushed, they could not rescue a win.

London Welsh: Thomas, Phillips, Stevens, Jewell, Mantella, Carlisle, Glynn, Marfo, Kwasnicki, Cooper, Woolford, Maddison, Pienaar, Hodson, Carpenter. Unused replacements: Britton, Hallam, Chawatama, Liston, R. Lewis, Hughes, J. Lewis.

Doncaster: Jarvis, Bulumakau, Hayes, M. Clark, Lewis, Cusack, Heaney, List, Allen, W. John, Challinor, Nolan, Young, Owen, Shaw. Unused replacements: Hislop, Hunter, Quigley, Makaafi, Williams, Scanlon, White.