Dons' plucky fight ends with relegation

Their brave battle to beat the odds and hold on to their League One status, after being deducted six points earlier in the season after going into administration, ended at Mount Pleasant yesterday afternoon.

Having got themselves into a match-wining position by opening up a 12-6 interval lead, the Dons’ lack of discipline cost them dearly in the second half.

Head coach John Stankevitch singled out young referee James Child, who handed out three sin-binnings and a red card to his side, for the Dons defeat.

It was easy to understand Stankevitch’s post-match reaction in view of the circumstances. Mr Child and his fellow officials certainly didn’t get all their decisions right.

But once he has had time to cool off and take a more reflective view of the game I would be surprised if Stankevitch didn’t see some things differently.

Batley had the advantage of the slope and the wind in the first half and enjoyed most of the early territorial advantage.

But the Dons, who lost winger Joe Brown after 10 minutes, defended well.

Batley looked to have taken the lead on 18 minutes when winger Ollie Marns touched down in the corner, but the try was disallowed for a forward pass.

Batley continued to camp in the Dons half but their passing was too laboured and predictable to cause the visitors many problems.

The Dons took a 4-0 lead on 25 minutes when winger Darren Woods latched on to an inch-perfect kick by centre Paul Anderson to touch down in the corner. Batley hit back to take a 6-4 lead on the half-hour when hooker Kris Lythe forced his way over from close range for a try converted by half-back Francis Maloney.

The Dons were reduced to 12 men two minutes later when Munro was sin-binned for holding down in the tackle.

Batley looked to capitalise on their numerical advantage, but the Dons line held and they hit back with a second try by Woods, who showed good pace on a 35 metre run down the right touchline.

Gale added the touchline conversion to make it 10-6.

The Dons went close to a third try through young second-rower Simon Worrall, who was held just short after powering his way past two defenders.

Gale extended Doncaster’s lead to 12-6 with an injury-time penalty in front of the posts after Batley had been penalised for a high tackle on prop Alex Rowe.

Batley made a determined start to the second half and drew level within five minutes of the restart with a converted try by centre Craig Farrell from a scrum after Worrall had knocked on inside his own 20 with an overlap to his left.

Centre Munro looked to have put the Dons back in front on 48 minutes after full-back Jamie Stokes had taken far too long to deal with a kick by Gale on his own line.

But the referee controversially disallowed the try after consulting with his touch judge, who ruled Munro offside.

The Dons, who rarely functioned in attack in the second half as well as they had in the first, were reduced to 12 men again on 54 minutes when Burgess was sin-binned.

The Dons suffered another setback a minute later when prop Luke Menzies ploughed over from close range for a try goaled by Maloney to make it 18-12.

The game was finally up for the Dons on 66 minutes when stand-off Richard Colley managed to get the ball down from close range.

Maloney again tagged on the conversion to make it 24-12.

Maloney was also on target with a 74th minute penalty to make it 26-12.

Burgess was sin-binned for a second time following a high tackle in the 77th minute.

The Dons had second-rower Craig Lawton sent off for punching.Matchfacts

Batley 26

Doncaster 12

BATLEY

Stokes, Lindsay, Farrell, Barlow, Marns, Colley, Maloney, Menzies, Lythe, Stenchion, Spears, Gallagher, Paterson. Subs: Toohey, Jarrett, McLoughlan, Simpson.

doncaster

W`Green, Woods, Munro, Anderson, Brown, Gale, Speake, Hodgkinson, Richardson, Burgess, Lawton, Worrall, P Green. Subs: Buttery, Johnson, Benson, Rowe.

details

Ref: James Child (Dewsbury)