Doncaster Knights face tough second leg in Championship Cup

Coventry were sharper, more competitive and creative and fully deserved to win the first leg by five tries to three and left South Yorkshire with a healthy lead which may well take them through to the semi-finals.

The Knights – following their worst first-half performance this season in which they were outplayed, apart from a thrilling try by winger Maliq Holden – recovered strongly in the second after being behind 21-5.

At last, Doncaster’s forwards won possession and territory and threatened Coventry’s control. Holden added a second on 50 minutes, and soon afterwards, fly half Sam Olver, struck a penalty making it 21-15.

However, Coventry flanker, Fred Betteridge fought his way over for his second try and following the conversion, Coventry still led 28-15.

Doncaster’s pack, though, then applied fierce pressure, rewarded by a try from forward Thom Smith and Over’s conversion slashed the gap to only 28-22 in the 70th.

But any glimpse of a late Doncaster victory was killed when Coventry intercepted a pass, allowing replacement winger, Tom Emery, to dash 50 metres for his team’s fifth try and with it a decent advantage going into the second leg.