LONDON BRONCOS 18 DONCASTER 38
MARC BAZELEY, Kuflink Stadium, Saturday
EDENE GEBBIE’S second-half hat-trick helped Doncaster boost their Championship play-off hopes as they returned to winning ways and played party-pooper for London Broncos’ second trip of the year to Kent.
There was nothing to split the sides at the break as Marcus Stock’s converted tries for the Broncos cancelled out finishes from Watson Boas and Sam Smeaton.
But Gebbie’s treble and another try from halfback Boas swung the outcome in favour of the Dons to keep them on the tails of the top six, and leave London staring into the abyss of having to go into the super eights.
The hosts were up against it after conceding a penalty on their own line straight from the kick-off, but having held out by gang-tackling Reece Lyne into touch they rallied and took the lead in the eleventh minute.
The fleet-footed Connor O’Beirne took the ball up before being brought down just short of the line and then Curtis Davies’ quick pass out of dummy-half was met by Stock for the loose-forward to crash under the posts.
Doncaster hit back on 22 minutes, with centre Brad Hey threading through a perfect grubber kick which left the Broncos defence floundering and was chased down by Papua New Guinea international Boas to finish close to the sticks.
Winger Gebbie was denied a try wide on the left five minutes later after being deemed to a have knocked-on over the line, yet the South Yorkshire side got their noses in front just before the half-hour mark after London coughed up possession in their own half.
This time it was a trio of ex-Super League backs setting the tone as Craig Hall shifted the ball to Luke Briscoe on the right touchline, who in turn passed back inside for Lyne to send second-row Smeaton powering through for their second try of the evening.
London hit back right on the stroke of half-time though and it was that man Stock who again proved unstoppable close to the line after the Broncos gained a repeat set followed by a penalty inside Doncaster’s ten.
Robinson’s third successful goal kick of the afternoon seven minutes into the second half edged Doncaster back ahead after the Broncos had given away a penalty for a high tackle.
The scrum-half then turned provider three minutes before the hour, engaging the defensive line then producing a deft pass back inside for Gebbie to dart through a gap after cutting back inside from the left wing.
An error from Louix Gorman was then seized on by Boas as he picked up the loose ball and streaked away to finish, although Lewis Bienek kept the Broncos’ hopes alive with ten minutes to go when he forced his way over from close range.
But despite their best efforts, there was no way back for the capital club and Gebbie pounced for a further double, completing his hat-trick on the final play of the the game after fullback Hall put through a kick.
GAMESTAR: Connor Robinson was an assured presence in the halves for Doncaster, providing a moment of magic for Edene Gebbie’s first try and keeping the scoreboard ticking with his goal-kicking.
GAMEBREAKER: Watson Boas sucker-punching the Broncos by seizing on an error for his second try gave Doncaster enough breathing room to see the game out.
MATCHFACTS
BRONCOS
6 Luke Polselli
33 Jack Smith
14 Louix Gorman
4 Brandon Webster-Mansfield
5 Liam Tindall
1 Alex Walker
7 Connor O’Beirne
10 Lewis Bienek
9 Curtis Davies
12 Sadiq Adebiyi
11 Will Lovell
3 Ethan Natoli
13 Marcus Stock
Subs (all used)
27 Taylor Kerr
18 Ben Hursey-Hord
8 Huw Worthington
16 Kian McDermott
Tries: Stock (11, 40), Bienek (69)
Goals: Smith 3/3
DONCASTER
1 Craig Hall
2 Luke Briscoe
4 Reece Lyne
3 Brad Hey
18 Edene Gebbie
24 Watson Boas
7 Connor Robinson
15 Jordan Baldwinson
20 Isaac Misky
10 Suaia Matagi
14 Jacob Jones
11 Sam Smeaton
21 Tyla Hepi
Subs (all used)
28 Cobie Wainhouse
9 Greg Burns
29 Matty Laidlaw
16 Pauli Pauli
Tries: Boas (22, 61), Smeaton (29), Gebbie (58, 72, 80)
Goals: Robinson 7/7
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-12, 12-12; 12-14, 12-20, 12-26, 18-26, 18-32, 18-38
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Broncos: Marcus Stock; Doncaster: Connor Robinson
Penalty count: 4-6
Half-time: 12-12
Referee: Tara Jones