REPORT | Dons 34 Hunslet 24

The Dons held off a second-half Hunslet resistance to take a six-try victory at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Richard Horne's side were in total control in the first half and led thanks to tries from Luke Briscoe, Sam Smeaton and Alex Sutcliffe, as well as a Jacob Jones brace.

Hunslet reduced the deficit to four points late on, but Ben Johnston kept his cool to ensure the Dons took victory on home soil.
Horne made five changes to the side that started in the triumph over Batley Bulldogs a week earlier, with Logan-Taylor Moy, Alex Sutcliffe, Harvey Horne, Greg Burns and Matthew Laidlaw all reintroduced to the starting XIII. Hull FC-loanee Will Gardiner also returned to action as an interchange.
The Dons raced out of the traps in DN4 and took the lead after just five minutes. A lovely move on the right saw Reece Lyne weave in and out on the wing before producing a huge pass inside for Briscoe to ground uncontested. Hall added the extras with his first successful kick of the afternoon.
Sutcliffe almost made the perfect return to action with a charge for the line after spotting a gap on the left after eight minutes, but he was held just short by the visiting defence.
The Dons would only have to wait another two minutes to mark the scoresheet, though. Burns made the short pass to the right to find Smeaton, who steamed through the Hunslet line to score. Hall converted.
Horne's men were in the mood and marked the scoresheet again on 14 minutes. Hall charged forward from 10 metres and offloaded to Jones, who sliced through a gap to ground from close range and give his side a 16-point lead.
And matters got even better for the Dons five minutes later. A great passing move saw Jones find Sutcliffe, who dashed for the line on the left and claimed a try on his return from injury at the second time of asking. Hall successfully converted to add the extra two.
Hunslet responded on 23 minutes as Lloyd McEwan-Peters made a break to squeeze in at the left-hand corner and give the visitors their first four points.
The away side were in again just after the half-hour mark as another move manufactured on the break saw Jack Rampton chase after the kick and ground in the right-hand corner.
The South Leeds side were finding a way back into the fixture, but the Dons had the last say before the interval. The visiting line opened up on the right and allowed Jones to glide through, race round the back and ground behind the posts to secure his brace. Hall added the extras as Hunslet finished the half with a man in the sin bin.
Dons number 16 Pauli Pauli was also sin-binned after 46 minutes.
The visitors began somewhat of a revolution two minutes later. Billy Jowitt scored a try in the corner and then successfully converted it, reducing Hunslet's deficit to 14 points.
And the away side were almost in again three minutes later, but Johnston claimed in the goal area to allow the hosts to breathe momentarily.
But Hunslet continued to apply the pressure and found the line on 63 minutes as Mackenzie Turner became the latest to go over in the corner.
Nerves were heightened for the Dons when the visiting contingent went over again, as Jowitt found his second try of the afternoon and then converted to leave a four-point margin with seven minutes left to play.
But just as Hunslet got within touching distance, Pauli powered forward on the left and released to Johnston, who kept the coolest head in DN4 to scramble his way to the line and give the hosts breathing room again. Hall added the final two points to leave the scoreline 34-24.
That score took the wind out of the sails of the visitors, and the Dons showed their quality to see out the remaining time uncontested and seal four consecutive wins in the second tier of rugby league for the first time since 2014.
Dons: Moy, Briscoe, Lyne, Sutcliffe, Horne, Boas, Hall, Baldwinson, Burns, Matagi, Jones, Smeaton, Laidlaw. Interchanges: Johnston, Pauli, Misky, Gardiner.