REPORT | Dons 72 Barrow Raiders 0 (Betfred Championship Play-Offs)

The Dons started their Betfred Championship Play-Offs campaign with a scintillating 72-point victory over Barrow Raiders at the Club Doncaster Sports Village.

Richard Horne's side deservedly led at half time thanks to two tries from Watson Boas and further successful efforts from Cory Aston, TomHolmes and Alex Sutcliffe.

Bureta Faraimo and Connor Robinson also found tries in the second half as Sutcliffe, Misky and Tom Whitehead all completed braces.
Robinson also scored 12 conversions on the day that helped to set a new world record with 52 successful goal kick attempts. Horne made five changes to the side that successfully saw off Goole Vikings on derby day eight days earlier, with Tom Holmes, Reece Lyne, Connor Robinson, Connor Jones and Alex Sutcliffe all handed spots inside the starting XIII.
Despite the Dons forcing Barrow into a goal line drop out almost immediately from kick off, the opening quarter of an hour saw little by way of action threatening either try line.
That was until the home side were gifted the opportunity to open the scoring when the Raiders made an error on the right and Aston reacted quickest to collect and then ground on the right. Robinson converted.
The scrum-half's latest successful conversion attempt equalled the world record for consecutive goals scored at 41, and on 18 minute he was presented with a golden opportunity to break it and etch his name into the history books.
The Dons broke through the middle and found Boas, who raced clear to score next to the posts. Robinson made no mistake with the boot and nailed his 42nd consecutive goal attempt to snatch the world record.
Horne's men already looked to be in control of the paly-off tie and found the line again after 22 minutes. The hosts shifted play from the centre to the right wing, where Holmes went over on his return to action in a Dons shirt. Robinson added the extras. 18-0.
On 26 minutes the Dons looked to have found themselves in again, as Edene Gebbie glided up the left-hand side to score uncontested an off of the ball incident erupted in the centre, but the referee disallowed what would have been the hosts' fourth try of the day and awards a penalty to Barrow.
Try number four for the day would arrive though eight minutes later as Robinson handed the ball left for Sutcliffe to charge onto and go over. Robinson converted again.
The Dons were motoring on all the way to the half time hooter and scored again in the 40th minute of the game. Sutcliffe kicked a low ball through towards the corner and Boas marauded forward to take it on and dive into the goal area. Robinson added the extras again. 30-0.
That's how it remained at the break despite the hosts' best efforts to further extend their advantage, as the Dons took a 30-point lead into the interval.
Seven minutes after the interval, Horne's men were in again. After great determination to keep the forward momentum going, the football eventually found the hands of Faraimo, who powered himself towards the line to score. Robinson converted again.
After 56 minutes, the Dons scored again. After utilising a penalty in the centre to the fullest extent, the home side found interchange Whitehead, who reached out his arm to place the ball over the all-important line. Robinson added the extras again.
The hosts furthered their lead again on 58 minutes. After success on the left wing, the Dons came inside and handed off to Misky, who glided over the line to ground next to the woodwork. Robinson converted again. 48-0.
And the breakthroughs over to the left-hand side continued three minutes later. Sutcliffe took the ball on and ran clear all by himself to produce a diagonal run that saw him cross underneath the sticks. Robinson added the extras again.
After 65 minutes, the Dons scored again. The Raiders became overwhelmed in the middle and Misky was handed the ball to go over underneath the posts and secure a personal brace for himself. Robinson converted again.
The home side's points-scoring barrage continued on 69 minutes. Whitehead chased after a kick into the goal area and got onto the end of it to score to the right of the uprights. Robinson added the extras again. 66-0.
In the final minute of the 80, Robinson's crowning moment of the day came. The Dons broke on the wing again and passed the ball into Robinson, who raced in to ground behind the posts. Robinson added the extras to score his 52nd consecutive conversion.
And that was all in terms of point-scoring action on the day as the Dons advanced to the next stage of the Championship Play-Offs with a 72-point win.
Dons: Holmes, Faraimo, Lyne, Boas, Gebbie, Aston, Robinson, Knowles, C. Jones, Matagi, Sutcliffe, Johnson, J. Jones. Interchanges: Mustapha, Misky, Hepi, Whitehead.