Hill’s heroic amateurs take another huge scalp

A BATTLING try in the dying minutes by Richmond replacement prop William Goodrick-Clarke secured the win in a tantalisingly tight encounter on Friday night.

Rob Kirby kicked 16 points and extended his 100 per cent record to four games as the amateurs ended Knights’ five-year unbeaten run at the Athletic Ground in front of Richmond’s biggest crowd of the season.

Richmond director of rugby Steve Hill said: “It was heart-stopping. We did well in the first half and just stayed in it. We were struggling in the scrums and they came at us and got their four tries.

“It looked like they were going to kick on in the last 15 minutes but my boys have such a spirit and were fitter at the end. This is our best win this season.”

Richmond took the lead in the first minutes via the boot of Kirby and then pinned error-strewn Doncaster deep for the first quarter of an hour.

Knights hit back with a 15-phase move but lock Matt Challinor could not get the grounding from a catch and drive.

Moments later a quick throw-in by Richmond scrum-half Luc Jones to Kirby found its way to wing Martin Freeman, who whipped around Tyson Lewis to put the home-side ahead 13-0.

Despite the penalty count going against them, Doncaster then got two tries in four minutes. On the 28th minute, a scrum penalty led to a kick to corner and prop Colin Quigley scored from a driving maul.

A great swerve by fullback Charles Foley opened up winger Tyson Lewis to rocket over in the left corner for the second.

A clever Jones box-kick led to a lineout in Doncaster’s 22 and from there strong carrying forced a penalty which Kirby kicked to end the first half.

Doncaster came back, No.8 Aaron Carpenter dotting down from acatch and drive. Replacement Thomas James made an immediate impact, getting onto a break by Foley to cascade through Richmond’s line and score the try-bonus point.

But Knights couldn’t hold on, and after Richmond were twice denied tries due to unclear grounding, it was thirdtime lucky when Goodrick-Clark squeezed himself over in the 76th minute to seal their fourth home win on the trot.

Doncaster coach Paul Cooke said: “We probably didn’t deserve anything from the game. We started poorly and compounded error upon error. We got in front but our management of the game cost us.”