Doncaster v Salford.

In their seventy year history Doncaster have had a fair share of trials and tribulations. The club were founded in 1951 and in the early years they were always struggling at the bottom of the table. Throughout the 1970s and 80s the club continued to battle on in Rugby League’s basement only avoiding a bottom three finish on two occasions between 1970 and 1985.

In 1980, Yorkshire Television followed the club in a special documentary programme entitled Another Bloody Sunday as they tried to avoid finishing the season without winning a match. There was a scene in that programme where former player Stuart Piper is sat in the changing room contemplating the club’s struggles. If you get chance to watch that I am sure you’ll enjoy it. 

Doncaster gained promotion to the top flight or First Division as it was then after finishing second just a point behind Workington at the end of the 1993/94 season. 

The club managed just five wins the following season and were relegated to the new third division as the sport geared up for a move to the summer era. One of those five wins was a pretty famous one though, a 20-29 victory over St.Helens at Knowsley Road. Vila Mata’utia scored that day and went on to sign for Saints later that season.

Doncaster have become a very stable and well run club over the last decade or so. Richard Horne who spent his entire playing career with Hull FC has been head coach since 2017. I’ve got a feeling that could make him the longest serving current head coach in the country unless anyone can correct me. 

Doncaster’s 2026 squad looks a really strong one. Captain Cory Aston is the son of former Sheffield Eagles stalwart Mark Aston. Cory has played over two hundred career games and had stints in Super League. 

Suaia Matagi, Bureta Faraimo, Reece Lynne, Luke Briscoe, Alex Sutcliffe, Muizz Mustapha, Jordan Baldwinson, Gadwin Springer and Pauli Pauli have all played in Super League and Doncaster’s recent close Challenge Cup defeat to Castleford proved that they could be real contenders in the Championship this year. 

Mike Grady’s Salford side come into this match after a fortnight’s break since the win over Hunslet. Continuity can be a good thing but with the amount of injuries Salford have picked up in the early months of the season the break perhaps came at the perfect time. 

League away record.

Doncaster 3

Draws 1

Salford 12

2003 Doncaster 24 Salford 34

1995 Doncaster 12 Salford 19

1991 Doncaster 12 Salford 14

1983 Doncaster 9 Salford 20

1982 Doncaster 8 Salford 20

1968 Doncaster 12 Salford 18

1964 Doncaster 18 Salford 13

1964 Doncaster 9 Salford 10

1963 Doncaster 17 Salford 11

1962 Doncaster 10 Salford 7

1960 Doncaster 6 Salford 20

1959 Doncaster 11 Salford 26

1957 Doncaster 0 Salford 10

1957 Doncaster 9 Salford 22

1955 Doncaster 13 Salford 13

1953 Doncaster 5 Salford 8

They played for both.

Richie Barnett, Ian Bragger, Luke Burgess, Rangi Chase, Peter Edwards, Brad Hepi, Graham Holroyd, Stuart Howarth, Neil Lowe, Mick McTigue, Paul Mansson, Martin Moana, Levy NZoungou, Iafeta Palea’aesina, Pauli Pauli, Jansin Turgut, Ian Watson, Chris Whiteley, Fata Sini. 

A match to remember Sunday 25th May 2003.

Doncaster 24 Salford 34.

This match was played at the old Belle Vue ground, the former home of Doncaster Rovers football club. The ground was situated just opposite the famous Racecourse in the town.

Salford arrived in good form having progressed in the Rail cup the previous week. 

Doncaster had former Salford hero Peter Edwards playing at loose forward and half back Paul Mansson had also had a brief spell with Salford during the mid 90s.

Edwards and Mansson both scored tries and with Jonny Woodcock on top form with his goal kicking the home side had a deserved 16-12 lead at half time.

Salford scored six tries with Andy Kirk going over twice, Simon Baldwin, Gavin Clinch, Andy Coley and Stuart Littler. It was however a substitute who won the game for Salford. Steve Blakeley came off the bench and clicked the team through the gears with his clever kick game a direct running. It would be his final season with the club and a lot of his appearances came off the bench. He was definitely the difference in this match as Salford came from behind to snatch the win late on. 

The teams that day,

Doncaster, Horne, Woodcock, Sykes, Irving, Lee, Mansson, Moxon, Handford, Hepi, David, Green, Lawton, Edwards.

Subs, James Walker, Matthew Walker, Muff, Colton.

Salford, Flowers, Platt, Littler, Hunte, Kirk, Beverley, Clinch, Baynes, Alker, Paul Highton, Baldwin, Lowe, Charles.

Subs, Blakeley, David Highton, Coley, Haggerty.

Attendance, 1,069.

Referee, Ronnie Laughton.

Sunday’s match.

The last time these two sides met was in the Northern Rail Cup final at Blackpool in 2008. Shaun McRae’s City Reds beat Ellery Hanley’s Doncaster 60-0 in a one sided match a Bloomfield road. 

 Over the last eighteen years Doncaster have moved to a new stadium which is one of the best in the sport and they’ve enjoyed plenty of top half finishes and playoff adventures. As I said previously the club seems to be stable and in a decent place considering the mess some clubs have reported in recent months. 

It’s over sixty years since Doncaster won this fixture but they will start as favourites this Sunday.

Salford coach Mike Grady is starting to find some continuity with his starting thirteen and the two weeks spent training since the Hunslet match will have been very welcome. 

Safe travels and enjoy the match.

The action gets under way at 3pm.

Paul Whiteside. 

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos and the Salford match day programme.