Conclusion: A very entertaining match and you couldn’t fault the player’s commitment. They gave 100% and if we play like this again for the rest of the season then we should certainly be up there at the play-off stages. The Super League class of Marvin Golden and Dale Cardoza made the difference.
I also walked all the way around the ground(twice) and was pleasantly surprised to see just how many Hornets shirts there were. Who says we don’t have an away following?
The match itself:
Looking at the pre-match warm up and Hornets looked like they meant business. Would they be the same once the game starts?
The burgers are 1st class.
The team was announced: Owen, Miller, Higgins, Wood , Cooper, Smith, Tawhai, Rogers, Pachniuk, Stephenson, Larder, Davidson, Bunyan and substitutes Ayres, Sinfield, Berry and Long.
My first thoughts were stand-off equals Paul Smith, did I hear it right? The players enter the field and Paul Smith is indeed wearing the number 6 shirt and without the customary head protector!
The announcer welcomes everyone to “THE HOUSE OF PAIN”
3:00 Sitting in the main stand and Doncaster kick-off to the right. Davidson runs it out. The team are indeed interested. Six tackles for us, 6 for them.
3:02 A superb break from inside his own half by Wood or was it Owen? Leads to a pass to Marlon Miller. I’m sure with a bit more confidence Miller would have gone straight for the line but he is tackled short and passes inside to Higgins who is half-tackled and just manages to stretch out to score over the line. Crowd silent! Danny Wood adds a superb conversion from out wide and it’s 6-0 to Hornets.
3:05 Doncaster have a scrum just inside their half, they kick on the 1st tackle. Miller has to be alert to snuff out the danger.
3:07 Wood misses a penalty 40m out, straight in front of the posts.
3:08 Another penalty to Hornets, they kick for touch but don’t make it. Doncaster run it back but run straight into a high tackle. Doncaster make no mistakes with their kick for touch.
3:10 Doncaster play the 6 tackles, Marvin Golden goes in near the corner. Woodcock kicks another great conversion and it’s 6-6.
3:14 Stephenson is bundled into touch on the half-way line, from the resultant scrum, Golden does it again, this time straight under the posts. Woodcock can’t miss and it’s 12-6 to Doncaster.
3:15 Hornets kick-off straight down the throat of Golden, the mood he’s in, not the best choice! Hornets penalised for offside.
3:18 Tawhai has a bit of luck as he hoists a large bomb but it doesn’t go forward, fortunately the Doncaster winger gets greedy and tries to run the line but is easily bundled into touch. The resulting 6 tackles ends up with a forward pass.
3:20 Another mistake by Doncaster as an attempted 40/20 goes straight into touch. Hornets repay the compliment on the 4th tackle by not playing the ball correctly.
3:24 A large bomb from Doncaster is perfectly executed. Doncaster’s Jason Lee outjumps Marlon Miller and falls over the line. 16-6, another Woodcock conversion makes it 18-6.
3:26 Another Doncaster bomb causes chaos leaving Dale Cardoza to launch himself through some weak tackling to make it 20-6, another Woodcock conversion makes it 22-6
3:28 Hornets put some pressure on Doncaster
3:30 It’s the bomb again! Owen catches it and a penalty to Hornets relieves the pressure. Sinfied comes on for Rogers and then Berry replaces Wood.
Larder is playing well, despite the score-line Hornets are really putting the effort in.
3:35 Slick handling up and down the 10m line sees Cooper go in near the corners to make it 24-10.
3:39 Some more fantastic play from Hornets sees Davidson drop the ball with the line at his mercy. Would we regret this later?
3:40 Tawhai is up ended and there is a slight scrap. Hornets get the penalty.
The hooter goes for half-time.
The 2nd half.
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