Doncaster RLFC produce best performance of the season in 31-0 win over high-flying Oldham

Doncaster RLFC produced their best performance of the season when beating high-flying Oldham 31-0 in their Betfred League One clash at the Keepmoat Stadium on Sunday evening.
Jordie HedgesJordie Hedges
Jordie Hedges

Their victory over an Oldham side who would have gone second had they won saw the Dons climb back into the promotion play-off places after dropping down to seventh earlier in the weekend.

The Dons got off to a flying start with a long run down the right by dual-registered centre Cameron Scott creating the position from which loose-forward Jordie Hedges touched down for a third-minute converted try from Matty Beharrell’s kick.

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Oldham went close to opening their account on 16 minutes through highly-rated second-rower Danny Bridge who was held just short after going past two defenders from ten metres out.

The Dons tuned defence into attack when scoring a sensational try on 17 minutes.

There looked to be nothing on when stand-off Watson Boas latched on to a loose ball deep in his own half but he shook off a couple of defenders and then held off a posse of defenders on a thrilling run to the line after getting clear just inside the Oldham half.

It was the second time in as many games that the PNG international had scored a length-of-the-field try against Oldham.

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Beharrell again added the extras to give the Dons a 12-0 lead going into the second quarter.

The half-back, whose tactical kicking was a feature of the game, was also on target with a 24th minute penalty.

Oldham’s efforts to get back into the game weren’t helped by a series of handling mistakes.

The Dons certainly handed the ball better during a sustained downpour and a second Beharell penalty secured them a 16-0 interval lead.

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They had also defended better than they had done on several occasions at the Keepmoat Stadium this season building on a welcome trend in recent league and cup games.

When Hedges forced his way over from close range for another converted try early in the second half Oldham needed at least four converted tries to win.

They would have pulled one back shortly after Doncaster’s Jack Brown was sin-binned but for a magnificent tackle by winger Sam Doherty in the corner.

The home side quickly regained the initiative and had centre Jason Tali had support on his inside they would have been in again. Beharrell then hit the post with a long-range penalty.

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Doncaster’s Jez Litten and two Oldham players were all sin-binned in the 66th minute.

A superb one-handed offload by Cameron Scott saw Doherty racing in from 30m out.

Full-back Jordan Howden, who had been sound under pressure from kicks in the first half, rounded off the try-scoring when touching down from a move initiated by Tali.

Beharell dropped a goal at the death to complete the scoring.

Dons: Howden, Doherty, Scott, Tali, Chrimes, Boas, Beharrell; Scott, Kesik, Spiers, Yere, Foster, Hedges. Subs: Boyle, Brown, Bower, Litten.