Doncaster Knights 29 Bristol 31: Clive Griffiths left fuming as Bristol snatch late victory

The South Yorkshire club came remarkably close to completing a league double over their illustrious rivals in a fascinating top two contest at Castle Park yesterday.

With a performance built on such endeavour, spirit and no little skill, it seemed Doncaster would hold on for a famous victory until Tom Varndell, the former England winger, crept over to score a try with the final play of the game.

The immediate reaction was that he had slightly fumbled when bending down to collect the low pass that offered him the sight of line in the corner.

That referee Luke Pearce did not even check the veracity of the score with his television match official was bizarre especially considering the magnitude of the decision. In fairness, replays suggested it did seem Varndell’s score was legal but it was the raft of baffling decisions in the minutes before to leave them in that position that left Griffiths at his wits end and Doncaster suffering a Championship defeat for the first time since last October.

“It’s just soul-destroying to lose that game – any game – in the last minute let alone last second,” said the Welshman, who has judicially guided Knights into the improbable position of challenging for promotion to the Premiership.

“I’m just lost for words. I’ve been in the game a long, long time but they (officials) don’t know what they are doing. The big clubs get the decisions.

“Some of our goalline defence was outstanding as they came at us but I just feel sorry for the boys. It was a marvellous effort.”

It was indeed. From Tyson Lewis, the winger who scored two superb tries on his 100th appearance for the club to give them a 12-0 lead on 25 minutes, to Declan Cusack, the Irishman whose kicking game helped clear their lines so many times when under immense pressure.

But WillGriff John, the tighthead making his first Championship start of the season, was a force, too, and then there was the bravery of flanker Latu Makaafi who ignored treatment after a heavy knock to realign himself in injury-time in order to try and protect that slender 29-26 advantage.

However, centre Mat Clark epitomised everything that is good about Doncaster with a remarkable game, seemingly involved in everything and producing two crucial turnovers in the second period that Bristol’s revered Samoa flanker Jack Lam would have been proud of.

Clark was also pivotal as a link for Lewis’s second try, a sublime 80m score after Andy Bulumakau intercepted Gavin Henson’s pass, the British Lion who atoned and came to life when it mattered most in those final moments with the break that created position for Varndell’s critical try.

Earlier, after Henson had missed two penalties, Bristol’s pack finally found some rhythm to get them off the mark via Olly Robinson on the half-hour, Henson improving.

Scrum-half Will Cliff then dived over six minutes later after their forwards had worked infield again but a loose pass at the restart saw Varndell hurried into a rushed kick, gifting Doncaster a line-out. That led to John muscling over a few phases later for a 19-14 interval lead, stretched out when Cusack added a penalty early in the second period.

However, the hosts then lost their own scrum close to their own line which led to Bristol full-back Jack Wallace gaining some space to score, Henson once more fluffing the kick.

Some sustained steely resolve on their own line from Doncaster saw Bristol repelled soon after and they then countered with a fine try from Matt Challinor after the veteran lock combined well with scrum-half Michael Heaney, Cusack converting from wide out for a 29-19 lead on 62 minutes.

Cliff added his second try four minutes later, however, the referee missing a clear forward pass in the build-up, so Matthew Morgan’s conversion got them in touching distance once more.

It seemed like Doncaster would hang on for a famous double having also won at Bristol in November. However, they had to settle for two bonus points instead although they seem destined to play Bristol at some point again in the play-offs.

Doncaster Knights: McIlwaine; Bulumakau, Clark, Hurrell, Lewis; Cusack, Heaney; List (Sprotson 66), Hunter (Viekoso 66), John (Armstrong 62), Challinor, Phelan, Makaafi (Young 80), Hills, Shaw. Replacements unused: Cooke, Armitage, Field.

Bristol Rugby: Wallace (Morgan 52); Varndell, Tovery, Carpenter, Lemi; Henson, Cliff; O’Connell (Traynor 43), Jones (McMillan 73), Perenise (Cortes 59), Evans, Glynn, Mama, Robinson, Eadie. Replacements unused: Smid, Joyce, Roberts.

Referee: Luke Pearce.