Even the most optimistic Salford supporter was expecting a very testing afternoon in South Yorkshire and a mistake directly from the kickoff put the visitors under instant pressure. Some scrambling defence delayed the inevitable though with the Dons forcing another drop out before Watson Boas breezed over for the games first try.

Salford coach Dave Hewitt made changes to his side in the absence of Joe Hartley, Toby Hughes and Brad Dwyer. Eighteen year old half back Lewis Pilling partnered Jack Gatcliffe in the halves. Sam Hill returned on the wing and Shaun Costello slotted in at loose forward.

The hosts were more or less at full strength and they had former Salford forward Pauli Pauli on the bench. 

Costello played a key role as a ball playing loose forward and his enterprising work almost got Salford on the scoreboard. A neat passage of play was just over cooked with the final pass to Reece Stanton adjudged to have gone forward. The two sides exchanged sets and after fifteen minutes the visitors were still in touching distance but were working overtime in defence to stem the tide.

Doncaster cut loose on the left edge and Edene Gebbie rounded Salford fullback Jack Holmes to double the lead. For the next fifteen minutes or so Salford frustrated their hosts as the Dons made quite a few unforced errors and certainly didn’t look anywhere near as clinical as the league meeting between the two sides a few weeks ago. Gebbie added his second try and another try immediately followed by Tom Holmes to take the game away from Salford. 

Doncaster were running hard, promoting and offloading the ball really well. Some may say this is a simple game plan but it’s certainly very effective at any level of Rugby League. 

Just before the break the home side turned the screw. Luis Johnson went over before Jack Bibby was sin binned after repeat six agains were conceded. The hooter had sounded but Doncaster were in confident mood and decided to roll the dice on one last play. Salford again couldn’t deal with the ball movement and Holmes went over for his second try. 36-0.

Holmes completed his hat trick ten minutes in to the second half then for the next twenty minutes no points were scored. Both sides came up with plenty of errors as the game turned a little scrappy. Jack Gatcliffe was flattened by a late shot and the referee seemed reluctant to award a penalty at first. Four tries in the last nine minutes seemed really harsh on Salford but Doncaster definitely had an eye on next week’s top of the table clash with London Broncos. 

It’s always difficult to watch a match where your team doesn’t score but Doncaster are one of the best sides in the division. There were some battered and bruised bodies coming off the pitch at full time. The Dons have some very big and physical players. It took three players at times to stop the likes of Gadwin Springer and Pauli Pauli. Effort and endeavour isn’t always enough in the ruthless sport of Rugby League. 

Salford return to League action next Sunday when they are back in South Yorkshire to face Sheffield Eagles.

Doncaster 64 Salford 0.

Paul Whiteside.

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos.