DONCASTER BEATEN BY BRIS

Not Straight
By Ian Todd
January 23 2013

Bristol moved rather unconvincingly into the top four of the Championship with a victory over Doncaster, who slipped into last place. An oddly flat affair in which Bristol did just enough to earn the win, but failed to enthuse the festive crowd. Still, a win's a win and i'll be happy to stay in the top four.

Bristol kicked off in chilly conditions, but on a pitch in surprisingly good condition. It was hard to see how Rovers silky ball-on-the-ground passing game would have suffered the previous day. Bristol soon had the upper hand in the tight exchanges, only the referee’s calls at the scrum causing them any real problems (‘crouch…[interminable wait]…touch’ during which the front rows had already touched and engaged; he then gives a fairly random free kick). A powerful, and buttock exposing, driving maul had the visitors in all sorts of trouble and they gave away a penalty that Adrian Jarvis knocked over for the opening score.

Doncaster were penalise again soon after and Jarvis duly extended the lead to 6 – 0. Bristol had clearly decided to take points when on offer, a sensible choice when faced with a pitch that might deteriorate quickly. However, a soft penalty allowed Lennard to get Doncaster’s first points. No matter as Jarvis then struck another one of his own to make it 9 – 3. And then it was Lennard’s turn again in a feast of Champagne rugby. Bristol’s best effort in a rather disappointing half saw Glen Townson driven over the line but ruled to have been held up.

Bristol at last managed to bring the bumper crowd to life early in the second half when the recently re-signed Mitch Eadie hammered over following a good catch and drive move (somewhat surprisingly given the pretty shaky showing in the Bristol lineout – see the photo above). Jarvis added the extras and it was a healthy looking 16 – 6. Bristol then survived a brief, but dangerous, period of Doncaster pressure, no points conceded immediately after scoring a try – well done. Instead, Jarvis further extended the lead with a well taken penalty.

Bristol then took the game away from the visitors when a quick tap and go from replacement James Grindal created enough space for George Watkins, after what seemed a perilously delayed offload from Jack Tovey, to outpace the defence and cross out wide for a converted try.

A rash of Bristol replacements then promptly disrupted the side, who also appeared to have knocked off early for Christmas. The exception was the returning Fautua Otto who looked desperate for work: putting in a couple of typically powerful bursts and getting stuck into several rucks and even a maul or two.

Doncaster, evidently noting the relaxation in the hosts’ efforts, stepped up a gear. First Braid raced into an enormous gap to score far too easily and then Planchant scored following a fine break by Challinor that outpaced the lethargic defence. At the death Doncaster were still pressing and Lennard’s drop-goal effort would have given them a losing bonus point but it sailed wide of the posts.