BRIS DO DONNY DOUBLE

Bristol notched up the points that secured a pray-off spot in an entertaining but error-strewn encounter at Castle Park.  The strange thing is we are back there again in a couple of weeks for the cup semi-final.  The same result will give Bristol a place in the final but it is the end-od-season knock out competion that is the priority.

Bristol kicked off the game in bright but blustery conditions.  The wind must have had some influence on the handling problems that both sides exhibited throughout.  The hosts started well with Bristol looking strangely tentative at times, losing a lineout on their own throw, some poor passing and a soft penalty.  Fortunately the defence looked reasonably solid and managed to contain a couple of Doncaster attacks, including one with a really obvious knock on that was missed by the officials.  Doncaster were penalised in front of the posts but Bristol elected to go for touch.  Just as the Bristol dive looked set the referee penalised Bristol for an offence that had everyone round me puzzled.  His signal wasn’t terribly helpful and further confused the onlookers.  Doncaster failed to clear from the penalty and Bristol kept up the pressure and were awarded another penalty.  This one, despite being further out and from a slightly more difficult angle was directed at the posts.  Directed too closely as Matthew Morgan’s effort struck the right-hand upright.

Bristol were quickly back on the attack when Doncaster managed to knock-on following the rebound off the post and the forwards piled in, Mitch Eadie to the fore.  Bristol camped on the Doncaster line, twice ruled to have been held up by the resolute defence before Dwayne Peel picked up from a ruck and dived over for the opening score.  The Doncaster restart was well claimed by Charlie Amesbury and his kick took Bristol straight back into the hosts’ 22.  A good drive from the pack was followed up by a powerful dart by Amesbury before the forwards regrouped to labour their way towards the Doncaster line.  Bristol hammered away but simply could not find a way through the solid defensive wall.  Eadie went close again but was, once more, unable to force his way over.  Eventually the ball made its way wide but the final pass was not terribly helpful and the chance went begging.  Bristol continued to dominate but were unable to break through and at last were penalised to allow the home side some relief.  Sadly for them they promptly knocked on at the consequent lineout and handed possession back to Bristol.  Morgan made good ground back into the Doncaster half only to be brought down by a high tackle.  He got back to his feet to send a good kick between the posts for 0 – 8 at half time.

It was a lead the scarcely reflected the territorial dominance of the visitors but certainly indicated the resolute nature of the Doncaster defence.  The questions for the second half were could Doncaster take advantage of the wind, and would Bristol be able to be more incisive in attack.  For the first couple of minutes Doncaster held onto possession and patiently went through several phases before losing the ball forward under little or no pressure.  Following a long injury break (two Bristol forwards appearing to clash antlers and then finding they didn’t actually have antlers) Bristol won the scrum and Morgan chipped ahead for George Watkins who gathered the ball well before feeding Jack Wallace, supporting well, who raced in.  Morgan’s conversion effort struck the cross bar but failed to go over.

Unfortunately Wallace’s next touch was to kick the ball out on the full but Bristol defended the lineout well and turned possession over and enabled a clearing kick to touch.  Doncaster gave away a penalty and Peel took a quick tap and made good ground only for Fosita to rip the ball from his grasp.  Doncaster pressed forward quickly but Fosita undid all his good work by slinging out a pass that was so obvious that Watkins had to slow before receiving it and then accelerating away to touch down untouched beneath the posts.  Morgan converted and it was 0 – 20.

Despite good breaks from Josh Ovens and Eadie, Bristol struggled to make much progress and ended up giving away a penalty that allowed Doncaster to kick their way into the Bristol half.  Quick ball from the lineout allowed Clark to break into space.  He looked almost certain to score but tripped to let Bristol off the hook.  Doncaster continued to press forward and eventually the Bristol defence cracked out wide when replacement Makaafi crossed out wide.  The conversion struck the post.

Bristol’s replacements started to come on and the attack looked more threatening again, even if the play was a little loose.  Forwards and backs linked well as play switched from side to side before Nick Koster went over in the corner for the bonus point try.  Even if Bristol contrived to throw the game away in the last few minutes, the point meant that Bristol had qualified for the play-offs.  Bristol didn't throw the game away but there was still time for Doncaster to be awarded  a penalty try for a deliberate knock on close to the line in the right-hand corner.  I’m not sure that it prevented a try ‘probably’ being scored but it was surely a yellow card.  No matter it left the final score at 12 -27.