Report: Doncaster Knights 12-27 Bristol Rugby

The visitors scored four tries at Castle Park as Dwayne Peel, Jack Wallace and Nick Koster touched down, while George Watkins went over for his fiftieth try for the Club.

In the tight early exchanges, Matthew Morgan saw his penalty goal attempt ricochet off the upright before Bristol opened the scoring midway through the first half.

It was skipper Dwayne Peel who touched down, ghosting in from close range after wave upon wave of forward pressure.

Bristol should have doubled their lead when Mitch Eadie was held up over the whitewash twice in quick succession, before Peel was wrestled to the floor just a metre away from the tryline.

Unable to break through a stubborn Doncaster defence before the interval, Morgan’s forty metre penalty goal nudged the visitors 0-8 ahead.

Bristol added a second try soon after the restart as Morgan and Watkins combined majestically to send Jack Wallace racing over in the corner for an unconverted score.

And George Watkins showed quick thinking to intercept a long pass and gallop over from halfway to register his fiftieth try for the Club.

Joe Joyce came on for his first league outing in Bristol colours but, despite Gareth Maule nearly finding a breakthrough, it was Doncaster who closed the gap when Latu Makaafi cantered in with ten minutes to play.

However, the bonus point was secured late on as replacement Nick Koster latched onto Marco Mama’s offload to slide over, while Morgan converted to move Bristol 5-27 ahead.

Doncaster crossed for a last-gasp consolation as referee Andrew Small awarded a penalty try for an adjudged deliberate knock-on, but Andy Robinson’s men held out for the comfortable win.

Doncaster Knights:

Paul Jarvis; Dougie Flockhart, Mat Clark, Terrence Hepetema, Tyson Lewis; Ume Fosita, Tomasi Palu; Tom Davies, Ben Hunter, Colin Quigley, Tyler Hotson, Jon Phelan, Matt Challinor, Michael Hills (c), Alex Shaw.

Replacements; Jack Bergmanas (for Tom Davies, 67 mins), Vili Veikoso (for Colin Quigley, 56 mins), Ollie Stedman (for Jon Phelan, 54 mins), Will Griff John (for Ben Hunter, 56 mins), Latu Makaafi (for Alex Shaw, 67 mins), Piers Francis (for Ume Fosita, 55 mins), Brad Field (for Tomasi Palu, 49 mins).

Bristol Rugby:

Jack Wallace; George Watkins, Gareth Maule, Gavin Henson, Charlie Amesbury; Matthew Morgan, Dwayne Peel (c); Jack O’Connell, Ross McMillan, James Hall, Ben Glynn, Ian Evans, Marco Mama, Josh Ovens, Mitch Eadie.

Replacements: Chris Brooker (for Ross McMillan, 69 mins), Ellis Genge (for O’Connell, 53 mins), Joe Joyce (for Ben Glynn, 53 mins), Nick Koster (for Josh Ovens, 60 mins), Craig Hampson (for Dwayne Peel, 60 mins), Adrian Jarvis (for Jack Wallace, 66 mins), Jack Tovey (for Gareth Maule, 70 mins).

Referee: Andrew Small
Attendance: 1,552