REPORT | Batley Bulldogs 12 Dons 16

The Dons won in dramatic style at Batley Bulldogs as they returned to winning ways in the Betfred Championship.

Luis Johnson found the try line in the first half at the Fox's Biscuits Stadium, and a converted penalty from Connor Robinson just before the half time hooter gave Richard Horne's side a six-point advantage at the interval.

Another Robinson penalty and a James Glover try furthered the Dons' lead, and they looked to be cruising, but a late surge from Batley levelled the game with seven minutes to play.
The Bulldogs had the chance to win it with a drop kick late on, but individual brilliance from Tom Holmes flipped the script to get the visitors upfield, where Watson Boas scored the match-winning try on the right.
Horne made three changes to the side that started in the Challenge Cup loss against Castleford Tigers eight days earlier, with Brad Hey, Watson Boas and Pauli Pauli, who made his 50th appearance for the club, all handed spots in the starting XIII. Robinson also made it a century of outings for the Dons on the afternoon.
The Dons started strongly on their travels and went close after just five minutes with a kick into the left-hand corner, but Batley were able to recover in the nick of time.
The away side were the far superiors early on and broke the deadlock after 11 minutes. A great cross-field move found Luke Briscoe on the right, and the winger was able to kick forward twice to leave Johnson to dive and ground just inside the goal area.
Horne's men were in a good position again three minutes later, but Watson Boas dropped ten metres out.
The next quarter of an hour saw neither side really pose any threat to the try lines.
The Bulldogs worked themselves into a promising position on the half-hour mark but saw Joe Burton dragged into touch on the right.
Holmes went close after chasing down his own dinked kick forward through the middle, but the ball hit the bottom of the left upright, and Batley scrambled to take the goal-line drop-out.
The Dons were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the first half and elected to kick for two. Robinson successfully notched it between the posts for a six-point lead at half time.
Glover went close two minutes after the restart, but he was held up short of the line after collecting Robinson's kick into the left-hand corner.
Horne's side received another penalty on 47 minutes and again decided to kick for two from in front of the sticks. Robinson successfully converted to put the visitors eight points ahead.
The Dons furthered their advantage after 53 minutes. Robinson kicked for the left-hand corner again, and Glover climbed highest to catch and then crash over.
The visitors had a 12-point lead, but Batley made inroads on 65 minutes. Ben White burst onto a ball within ten metres and powered over the line. Ben Reynolds converted.
Batley were in again eight minutes later. Liam Kirk found the gap and again slotted through the middle to give Batley a second scoring try. Reynolds added the extras again to restore parity with seven minutes to play. It was a drop goal game.
And it was Batley who found the chance.
Reynolds lined up to kick between the sticks from close range, but Holmes charged it down, kicked downfield and then again to give the Dons position. The visitors then went right, and Briscoe found Boas, who grounded uncontested. The Dons had a four-point lead with three minutes to play.
Batley gave it everything as they desperately searched for a leveller, but the away side held firm to take the two points.
Dons: Holmes, Briscoe, Hey, Glover, Gebbie, Boas, Robinson, Knowles, Burns, Pauli, Sutcliffe, Johnson, Mustapha. Interchanges: Matagi, Jones, Hepi, Springer.