REPORT | Doncaster RLFC 6 Wakefield Trinity 42

A valiant effort from Doncaster RLFC on Sunday saw Super League-tipped Wakefield Trinity leave the Eco-Power Stadium with a 6-42 victory to move to the top of the Championship table after three regular rounds.

After a solid start from the Dons, including a mammoth hit on Luke Gale from Reece Lyne, Trinity scored the first try of the contest. Gale produced an audacious grubber kick, which he collected to score against his former side. Growing into the clash, the hosts had some chances of their own. Ben Johnston came close to scoring the 100th try of his career, but the Championship favourites held firm. 

Wakefield would extend their lead on 17 minutes. Renouf Atoni and Josh Bowden combined to feed Liam Hood a walk-in after the Dons let a Mason Lino bomb bounce before Trinity would go back-to-back in the following set after Max Jowitt finished off a smart shift play. The try scorer nailed his first three conversions, handing Wakefield an 18-0 lead after the first quarter of action. 

Handed a lifeline, Doncaster would have a man advantage for 10 minutes after ex-Leeds Rhinos winger Derrell Olpherts was sin-binned after an altercation with Connor Robinson. However, they couldn't make the numerical edge worthwhile on the scoresheet, but Rich Horne's men stemmed the flow and were competing toe-to-toe with the full-time outfit. 

Wakefield would hold a four-score lead at the interval. The away side saw the Dons were stretched on the edge, allowing Josh Griffin to dive over. Trinity 22-0 up at the break, although Horne's Dons did have their bright sparks. 

Needing to lay down an early marker to their opponents in the second half, Doncaster got off to the perfect start thanks to Robinson. Liam Hood dropped the elusive playmaker's initial grubber kick before the halfback pounced on the loose ball. A deserved try after a bright start to the second stanza. 

Wakefield's Hood would immediately make up for his error that handed the Dons a try minitues early, with the hooker bagging his brace after burrowing over from close range as the gap between the two teams returned to 22. Although behind on the scoreboard, the Dons kept banging on Trinity's door. Guilty of overplaying sometimes and a loose carry here and there, you couldn't belittle the effort from Horne's troops, who will take big learning steps from competing with a side of Wakefield's prowess. Former Man of Steel Luke Gale would add his second and third before the hooter, with Mason Lino also grabbing a late try to wrap up the game for Trin. 

Up next is the visit of Featherstone Rovers to the Eco-Power Stadium next Sunday, with Wakefield at home to York Knights at Belle Vue. 

Doncaster RLFC

Josh Gudzek, Luke Briscoe, Reece Lyne, Jason Tali, Tom Halliday, Ben Johnston, Connor Robinson, Suaia Matagi, Joe Lovodua, Keelan Foster, Pauli Pauli, Brad Hey, Brad Knowles

Subs: Sam Smeaton, Alex Holdstock, Tyla Hepi, Watson Boas

Tries: Robinson

Conversions: Robinson 1/1

Wakefield Trinity

Max Jowitt, Derrell Olpherts, Iain Thornley, Oli Pratt, Lachlan Walmsley, Luke Gale, Mason Lino, Josh Bowden, Liam Hood, Renouf Atoni, Matty Ashurst, Josh Griffin, Mathieu Cozza

Subs: Caleb Uele, Ky Rodwell, Isaiah Vagana, Tom Doyle

Tries: Gale (3), Hood (2), Jowitt, Griffin, Lino

Conversions: Jowitt 5/8