REPORT | Dons 38-21 Newcastle Thunder

[Dons News 26]

Doncaster RLFC 38–21 Newcastle Thunder

Sunday 2^nd September 2018

Keepmoat Stadium

Betfred League One

ATTENDANCE | 756

The Dons secured another crucial two points in Betfred League One with a 38-21 win over Newcastle Thunder at the Keepmoat Stadium.

Richard Horne made just two changes to his starting XIII, as Sam Doherty and Jason Muranka replaced Richard Owen and Jordie Hedges in the line-up.

Newcastle scored the first points of the game after 14 minutes, as Remy Marginet converted a penalty goal from 20 metres out.

The Dons went in front five minutes later, as full-back Hakim Miloudi created space for himself down the right and twisted his way over the line to score. Matty Beharrell converted for 6-2.

Beharrell then scored a try of his own just before the half-hour mark, as he shaped to pass before going through a gap in the Thunder line to go over.

Newcastle responded three minutes later and had their opening try of the game when Vincent Rennie put the ball on a plate for David Weetman to score. Marginet converted to make the score 12-8 to the Dons.

The Dons scored the try of the game five minutes before half-time, as Miloudi broke from his own in-goal before finding Jack Sanderson who raced 50 metres to score. Beharrell converted to extend the lead.

Thunder reduced the deficit slightly just before the break as Marginet kicked a drop-goal as the hooter sounded.

HALF-TIME | Doncaster RLFC 18–9 Newcastle Thunder

The Dons scored the first try of the second-half when Jason Tali ran into space down the left to cross against his former club. Beharrell added the two.

Thunder hit back eight minutes later, as Ben Pointer stretched his way over the line for their second try of the game. Marginet converted for 24-15.

Richard Horne’s side edged further clear with 20 minutes remaining, as Jordan Howden latched onto a loose ball from his own kick through to touch down.

The visitors continued to push forward though and had another try when powerful prop-forward Vincent Rennie forced his way over. Marginet added the two to make the score 28-21 to the Dons.

Newcastle’s chances of getting anything from the game were handed a blow when Harry Aldous was sent-off for a punch on Connor Scott.

The Dons made the most of the man advantage with the next set as Jack Logan had too much pace for the Thunder defence to go over in the corner.

Tali rounded off the scoring with four minutes to go, as he powered over Theerapol Ritson to dive over for his second. Beharrell added the two.

FULL-TIME | Doncaster RLFC 38–21 Newcastle Thunder

DONS XIII | Miloudi, Doherty, Logan, Tali, Sanderson, Howden, Beharrell, Scott, Kesik, Spiers, England, Mariano, Muranka. Interchange: Bower, Madani, Boyle, Hedges.

DONS TRIES | Miloudi (20), Beharrell (27), Sanderson (35), Tali (48, 76), Howden (60), Logan (72) DONS GOALS | Beharrell (20, 27, 35, 48, 76)

NEWCASTLE XIII | Ritson, Agoro, Young, Craig, Dent, Brook, Marginet, H. Aldous, Simons, J. Aldous, Charlton, Ollett, Fitzsimmons. Interchange: Pointer, Brown, Rennie, Weetman.

NEWCASTLE TRIES | Weetman (30), Pointer (57), Rennie (67)   NEWCASTLE GOALS | Marginet (14, 30, 57, 60) NEWCASTLE DROP-GOAL | Marginet (39)

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