Traded penalties were the only break in the early deadlock, but Doncaster grabbed the lead after quarter of an hour when Colton stepped through defenders to score. 8-2. Hornets had buggered about for long enough.

On 20 minutes, Lee Birdseye tracked a big Doncaster last-tackle break up the left flank to execute a copybook tackle on Billy. From the resulting possession, Chris Campbell blasted into open field, carrying the ball 60 metres; John Braddish supported and took the ball on; Campbell went back for the return pass and, with the cover gathering, handed on to Dave Alstead who scored in the corner. Fantastic.

With Doncaster reeling, Hornets repeated the long-distance smash and grab seven minutes later. Again the Dragons worked the ball left; again Billy was the recipient of the pass - but this time his suspect hands worked in Hornets favour. Alstead gathered the dropped ball on the 20 metre line and pinned back his ears in a footrace for the line. Doncaster’s desperate cover arrived just in time to see him plant the ball by the posts.

With the clock running down - and Doncaster stretched all over the field - Dave Cunliffe took the ball close to the Dragons’ line; Lee Birdseye on hand to take the pass and, while defenders faffed around him, he stretched out to score. Half time 22-8 and Hornets well on top.

The previous week Doncaster had clawed back a huge deficit, but Hornets killed them off within two minutes of the restart. BIrdseye put the ball into the sky; Doncaster defenders allowed it to bounce around between them like a bagatelle; Bobbie Goulding nipped in between them and, whilst the Dragons stood watching, he strolled beneath the posts; celebrating his try with his team mates before he cheekily dived to ground the ball.

Cue the deluge: 44 minutes, Michael Platt breaking from half way; stepping past Colton; brushing off Ostler; under the black dot; ta very much.

48 minutes: Richard Varkulis blasting onto a neat pass to score. 58 minutes: Darren Robinson mugging a sleeping defence to reach through from 18 inches. 61 minutes: Blockbusting break by Tommy Hodgkinson; slick ball to Varkulis; Varkulis screams in from 50 metres, dummying the fullback as he goes. 42-8 - Doncaster absolutely shellshocked.

The Dragons did rally briefly, but Fisher’s one-yard slump after 70 minutes was cancelled out by John Braddish’s nifty stepping try five minutes later.

Right at the death, Billy plunged in at the corner, but no-one cared much by then as the Hornets supporters celebrated a convincing victory that puts Goulding’s team within the one critical win that will assure us of NL1 safety.

With Halifax to come next Sunday, this is a very big week for Bobbie Goulding’s Rochdale Hornets - and on this form, the miracle is still very much alive.