REPORT | Halifax 34 Dons 8

The Dons fell to a 34-8 defeat on the road as they were beaten by Halifax Panthers at the Shay Stadium.

A fast start from the hosts saw the Dons two tries behind after 15 minutes and the scores at 12-0 at the interval.

Halifax grew in confidence throughout the second half and put the visitors to the sword with a further three tries before Bureta Faraimo and Luke Briscoe marked the scoresheet for the Dons late on.

The hosts got out of the traps well at the Shay Stadium and took just four minutes to open the scoring when Corey Johnson allowed Joe Keyes to throw a huge dummy and break through the line to go over. Louis Jouffret added the extras.

The Dons set out for an immediate response though and almost found it with their first attack of the restart as Joe Lovodua powered towards the line but he was held just short.

In a frantic start the Panthers thought they were in for a second on 11 minutes with debutant Mathieu Pons going over on the left wing but he was judged to have stepped out of play in his efforts.

The visitors then went close themselves with a series of diagonal kicks on the last tackle but after coming within yards on a number of occasions the move was ended with a knock on.

Halifax continued their fast start at the other end and made the Dons pay for missed opportunities with Keyes again selling the dummy to the left of centre and slicing through the gap to step over. Jouffret again kicking the extras on 15 minutes.

The hosts went over again in their next meaningful attack with Ned McCormack grounding the ball but the referee pulled play back for a knock on.

Richard Horne’s men grew into the game in the final 10 minutes of the opening half with Loui McConnell, Luke Briscoe and Pauli Pauli all held up on the line but the Dons trailed by 12 at the interval.

The Panthers again raced out of the blocks at the start of the second half and took just three minutes to find the try line as Johnson sliced his way through the middle and offloaded to Gareth Widdop for a clear run at the line. Jouffret making it three from three with the boot.

The visitors again looked for an instant response with Watson Boas going within yards but the Panthers line defence held firm to deny again.

Despite the Dons best efforts to reduce the deficit the Panthers were gifted the opportunity to further increase their advantage after a high tackle and Jouffret elected to successfully kick from 40-yards.

Horne’s men searched for the line again through Pauli Pauli and Josh Guzdek but both were stopped short before matters got worse.

After threatening in the first half, McCormack succeeded in breaking the Dons line on 63 minutes and beat the chase of Briscoe to go over in front of the posts – Jouffret again converting.

Faraimo looked to have marked the scoresheet after grounding Craig Hall’s diagonal ball but the referee deemed the winger to have already been tackled in the process. 

On 73 minutes the Panthers were in again following another break of the Dons line and Kevin Larroyer held off his man to touch down. Jouffret again adding the extra two points.

A late Dons flurry would follow with a good passing move switching play from right to left for Faraimo to dive over into the corner for his side’s first score on 76 minutes. 

The visitors were in again just three minutes later with Pauli Pauli and Brad Hey combining to find Briscoe on the right wing and the Dons number five grounded for another try. Hall’s kick could only find the post and deflect the wrong way.

There was still time for the host to make one last mark on the scoresheet with a penalty to the right of the posts and Jouffret added the final two points on the hooter.

Dons: Hall, Briscoe, Hey, Tali, Faraimo, Johnston, Boas, Knowles, Lovodua, Matagi, Sutcliffe, Pauli, McConnell. Interchanges: Holdstock, Guzdek, Kenga, Hepi.