Improved Rams narrowly beaten by Doncaster at FLAIR Stadium.
After last Sunday’s defeat against Bradford Bulls, the Rams returned to FLAIR Stadium to face Doncaster RLFC, who were victorious earlier this season when the sides met in a 38-12 victory at the Eco-Power Stadium in April.
It was a ferocious start to the game with both sides battling hard for field position early on, the Rams had a few early openings but couldn’t make the most of them.
It was going to take something special to break the deadlock and that piece of magic came from Bailey O’Connor who did fantastically on the last tackle to skip round the Doncaster defence to score.
Doncaster answered straight back though, Jason Tali storming through the gap created after an offload close to the Rams line, but a missed conversion from Connor Robinson meant the Rams still held a two-point lead.
A lead which was extended when Jacob Hookem grubbered through for Paul Sykes to score his first try of the season minutes just before the break. Sadly for Sykes, this was his last contribution to the game as he injured himself in the process of scoring.
With the hooter about to sound, Bailey O’Connor kicked a penalty goal from forty-five metres out, to take the Rams’ lead to ten at the end of the first forty.
As has happened several times this season, the second half started poorly for the Rams, Doncaster narrowing the game to four, with Pauli Pauli going over from close range just a couple of minutes in.
Bailey O’Connor kicked another penalty goal, this time from twenty metres out after an infringement in the tackle which took the Rams lead up to six. However, this was cancelled out entirely on sixty-two minutes when ex-Ram Josh Guzdek scored after a break by Pauli Pauli.
With slighty over ten minutes remaining, Doncaster took the lead for the first time in the game when Connor Robinson kicked a penalty goal from in front of the posts to put the Dons in front, followed shortly after by another penalty from Robinson to take the lead to four.
With only seconds remaining the Rams went searching for an equalising score with Dale Ferguson going agonisingly close, but sadly they couldn’t get over the line to get the point or two league points that their performance arguably deserved.
After the game, Assistant Coach Connor Turner said, “That’s a tough one to take today, there’s a few deflated bodies in the changing room, we thought that was one that’s gotten away from us today.”
Next up for the Rams it’s a trip to Cheshire to face Widnes Vikings on Sunday 14th July, kick off 15:00.
Dewsbury Rams (16): O’Connor, Carr, Graham, M.Walker, Restall, Sykes, Hookem, J.Walker, Butterworth, Dixon, Ferguson, Garside, Beckett.
Interchanges: Davies, Bibby, Morris, Collinson, Corion (18th)
Tries: O’Connor (26′), Sykes (39′)
Conversions: Sykes (1/1), Hookem (1/1)
Penalty Goal: O’Connor (39′, 50′)
Doncaster RLFC (20): Guzdek, Halliday, Lyne, Tali, Faraimo, Hall, Robinson, Knowles, Lovodua, Matagi, Pauli, Ferres, Wilde.
Interchanges: Boas, Foster, McConnell, Hey, Mafi (18th).
Tries: Tali (30′), Pauli (44′), Guzdek (62′)
Conversions: Robinson (2/3)
Penalty Goal: Robinson (69′, 76′)
The Rams Man of the Match as selected by Thomas Niamh Contracting was Dale Ferguson.
