REPORT | Dons 37 Barrow 30

After a famous win last time out away to Featherstone Rovers, Doncaster RLFC backed it up in South Yorkshire on Sunday, defeating Barrow Raiders 37-30 at the Eco-Power Stadium to edge closer to a coveted play-off spot.

The Dons made a positive start to the contest. Loui McConnell and Brad Knowles started well, punching holes in Barrow's defence. In scorching conditions, the battle of the middles would be key to clinching the two points. 

After seeing a chance go by the wayside moments before, Brad Hey opened the scoring for Richard Horne's men, crashing onto a neat ball from Brett Ferres close to the line. It wouldn't take long until the Dons had their second. Showing plenty of guile, Watson Boas dummied his way past three would-be Raiders defenders to race 15m downfield and score a brilliant individual try. 12-0 after 16 minutes, well deserved after a fast start. 

Barrow wouldn't lie down easily, however. A few handling errors from the Dons allowed the Cumbrian outfit to build pressure, paying off when Josh Wood saw an opening from dummy half, which was converted by Ryan Shaw to half the deficit. With the momentum, possession and territory now with the away side, Paul Crarey's men levelled the scoreline on the half-hour mark. Ramon Silva, formerly of World Champions Wigan Warriors, found himself in acres of space thanks to a good pass from Ellis Gillam, who broke through the Dons' middle unit. 

Needing a spark, Pauli Pauli's introduction off the bench gave Horne's pack a boost, as the big man rampaged through Barrow's line to give the hosts a good attacking set near the line. Pauli's efforts paid off, as Luke Briscoe managed to flick back Robinson's cross-field kick into the arms of Reece Lyne, who was ready and waiting to touch the ball down and give the Dons a four-point edge heading into the break. 

It was an ideal start to the final 40, even if the try was a disorganised one. Initially, it looked like Barrow had survived the Dons' attack. However, the officials saw enough from Joe Lovodua to deem the ball was grounded, and the hosts were rolling in the second half. 

In a nervy contest with both sides capable of winning, Barrow hit back immediately. After back-to-back sets on the Dons' line, earlier try-scorer Ramon Silva managed to get an audacious offload away to Luke Cresswell over the line, to get the Raiders within two points of the hosts.

Keeping calm under pressure, the Dons would regrow into the clash. Watson Boas, pulling the strings in the halves, hoisted up a bomb before being taken late which sparked a coming together between the sides. However, in the background, Reece Lyne played to the whistle, collecting the loose ball and jinking past two to bag his brace. 

On a knife edge, Barrow continued the trend of "we score, you score". Moments after Lyne's second, Raiders winger Andrew Bullman caught Robinson's kick, sidestepped past a Dons man and raced 100m downfield in a solo effort that was nearly halted by Luke Briscoe, who just couldn't get there in time.

It took them 67 minitues, but Barrow, playing with intent and energy finally took the lead in South Yorkshire. James Greenwood's break allowed Cresswell to crash onto his offload, racing through to pin the Dons behind in the closing stages. Shaw, 5 from 5 with the kicking tee, gave the Raiders a 26-30 lead with 13 to play. 

Still with a few cards to play, the Dons were still in the battle. Bureta Faraimo did extremely well to break downfield, swatting off Barrow defenders to set the platform in attack. Composed as ever, Boas' grubber was grounded by Lovodua who had to deal with plenty of Raiders around him to bag the winning try. Faraimo would put the icing on the cake before the final hooter, scooting from close range to grab a well-deserved try before Craig Hall knocked over a field goal to secure the two points. A big win for the Dons, who head to Sheffield next Sunday in the South Yorkshire derby!

Doncaster RLFC

Craig Hall, Luke Briscoe, Brad Hey, Reece Lyne, Bureta Faraimo, Watson Boas, Connor Robinson, Brad Knowles, Greg Burns, Suaia Matagi, Sam Smeaton, Brett Ferres, Loui McConnell 

Subs: Josh Guzdek, Alex Holdstock, Pauli Pauli, Joe Lovodua

Tries: Hey, Boas, Lyne (2), Lovodua (2), Faraimo

Conversions: Robinson 4/7

Barrow Raiders

Luke Cresswell, Andrew Bullman, Luke Broadbent, Shane Toal, Ryan Shaw, Matt Costello, Brad Walker, Razor Silva, Aaron Smith, Ellis Gillam, Max Clarke, James Greenwood, Tom Wilkinson, 

Subs: Josh Wood, Tom Walker, Brett Carter, Delaine Gittens-Bedward

Tries: Wood, Silva, Cresswell (2), Bulman

Conversions: Shaw 5/5