DONCASTER 16 HALIFAX PANTHERS 24
CHRISTIAN LEE, Eco-Power Stadium, Sunday

HALIFAX staged a dramatic second-half comeback to maintain their momentum ahead of the play-offs, which bring a visit to Oldham on Friday.

Trailing 16-0 at the break, the Panthers crossed for four unanswered tries to make it five wins in a row – and condemn Doncaster to a sixth defeat on the spin.

That was despite a flying start by the South Yorkshire side, who scored two tries inside the opening nine minutes.

Off the back of Halifax’s Owen Restall spilling a relatively simple kick, a set move from the scrum got the ball to Edene Gebbie, who powered over wide out.

Then Jack Hansen failed to find touch from a potentially-relieving penalty for Halifax, and on the last tackle of the set, a deft grubber from Ben Johnston was touched down by Watson Boas, with Connor Robinson converting.

Halifax put out a much-rotated side and their play was understandably disjointed as they tried to contend with the intensity of the home team.

After a lull in the game, Doncaster extended their lead as the clock ticked towards half-time.

From a break by Robinson, the ball found Johnston who, in his last game before retirement, added a second try assist as his short ball allowed the charging Sam Smeaton to cross untouched. Robinson goaled.

Doncaster started the second half strongly but a sucker punch from Halifax five minutes in changed the momentum of the match.

Smeaton spilled a sharp pass from Johnston into the hands of Alfie Johnson, who streaked away before offloading to Ben Tibbs to finish the try as he was about to be dragged down. Hansen converted from wide out.

That rejuvenated the visitors and they quickly got to within six points when Maxime Jobe touched down a scruffy kick into the in-goal by Hansen. This time Louis Jouffret tagged on the extras.

Then Halifax were on the Doncaster line again, and facing a stretched defence. Eventually, the ball was spread wide to Jouffret, who stepped back inside a gaping hole for Hansen to convert for an 18-16 advantage.

It was all Halifax at this point and, off the back of another penalty, Hansen fired a kick which was knocked down by Brad Graham. The chasing Charlie Graham scooped up the ball and touched down, and again Hansen was good from the tee.

In a fractious finish, Robinson was hit late as he passed which sparked a melee, while Halifax’s Ronan Dixon was sent to the sin bin on the hooter for coming from an offside position to grab the ball when Doncaster had no dummy-half in position.

GAMESTAR: After a tough first half, Jack Hansen’s kicking game caused all sorts of problems for the Doncaster defence and ultimately led to two of Halifax’s four second-half tries.

GAMEBREAKER: Louis Jouffret’s converted second-half try put Halifax into a lead they never looked like relinquishing.

MATCHFACTS
DONCASTER
1 Craig Hall
4 Reece Lyne
24 Watson Boas
3 Brad Hey
18 Edene Gebbie
6 Ben Johnston
7 Connor Robinson
16 Pauli Pauli
9 Greg Burns
10 Suaia Matagi
14 Jacob Jones
11 Sam Smeaton
21 Tyla Hepi
Subs (all used)
8 Brad Knowles
20 Isaac Misky
22 Luis Johnson
25 Ilikaya Mafi

Tries: Gebbie (5), Boas (9), Smeaton (33)
Goals: Robinson 2/3

PANTHERS
18 Owen Restall
2 Ben Tibbs
21 Alfie Johnson
3 Charlie Graham
5 James Saltonstall
1 Louis Jouffret
7 Jack Hansen
11 Owen McCarron
34 Vila Halafihi
16 Ronan Dixon
12 Adam Tangata
20 Brad Graham
15 Connor Davies
Subs (all used)
9 Adam O’Brien
13 Jacob Fairbank
22 Maxime Jobe
19 Zack McComb

Tries: Tibbs (45), Jobe (56), Jouffret (62), C Graham (68)
Goals: Hansen 3/3 Jouffret 1/1
Sin bin: Dixon (80) – professional foul

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 16-0; 16-6, 16-12, 16-18, 16-24

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Doncaster: Craig Hall; Panthers: Jack Hansen

Penalty count: 5-6
Half-time: 16-0
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 1,550