Knights need to do more to beat leaders

Knights 27Pertemps Bees 14

DONCASTER continued their unbeaten run with another bonus point win to remain just a point behind Northampton, making their trip to Franklin's Gardens next Saturday a top-of the-table affair.

Whether they have the fire power to upset the big names remains to be seen, and there were no clues on show here as the Knights did just enough to see off a side that looked far from a bottom-of-the-table outfit.

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An impressive opening, with Ollie Cook prominent, saw several chances created before Scott Gray broke upfield with stolen line-out ball on halfway, and good handling saw winger Donovan Van Vuuren tackled only inches short before the pack in support drove over Steve Boden for the afternoon's first score.

Mark Woodrow failed to convert, ending his 22-kick streak. Van Vuuren was again in the action when, as he drifted in off his wing, spotted the interception opportunity, and set off the length of the field to outpace the despairing defence to make the left corner. This time Woodrow slotted the tough kick with ease.

A feisty Bees pack led by ex- Knight Russ Earnshaw crafted a good try of their own with centre Pete Murchie the finisher after productive offloads had broken the Knights' defence. Joe Carlisle added the extras.

The half ended with a well- crafted home try. Under intense pressure the Bees conceded a penalty that Woodrow kicked to touch. Fast line-out ball off the top saw quick handling to the right and Van Vuuren cut a beautiful reverse angle through a bemused defence and raced to the posts. Woodrow this time hit the post but a lead of 17-7 and three tries in the bag looked enough at the break.

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Van Vuuren's third score on 47 minutes was the try of the day. Forwards and backs combined in a slick move from their own half before the winger received the ball on his touchline and beat three men. Again the extras were added.

The Bees scored a second try, pretty much a duplicate of their first, with Reece Spee the scorer this time and Carlisle again converting; but there was never any danger of the Knights relaxing their grip as they had done late on at Nottingham. Indeed there were a couple of purple patches as they stirred themselves , one of which forced Bees offside in panic defence; and in keeping with the low-key closure of the afternoon, Woodrow elected to take the easy three points on offer.

n Doncaster: Carter, Bishop, Hunt, Davey, Van Vuuren, Woodrow, Jones (Nicoud 54), Bunting (Davies 40), Boden, Tau (Rawson 48), Griffiths (Tomes 74), Kenworthy, Cook, Gray, Wilson.

n Bees: Spee, Aston, Nurchie, Grove (Maggs 54), Benjamine (Mitchell 66), Carlisle, Knight (Griffiths 72), Long (Davies 49), Pearle (Mullen 49), Bucknell, Davidson (Daish 62), McComb, Matthews, Collins, Earnshaw.

n Referee: N Paterson (SRU)