Knights do it for their stricken boss Clive

KNIGHTS scrum-half Thomas James’ perfectly timed interception left him in acres of space to score as a galvanized Doncaster, without hospitalised head coach Clive Griffiths, got two late tries at the Athletic Ground.

James try came ten minutes after centre Richard Hayes dived over in the corner as the South Yorkshire-side came from 17-16 down to win a defencesdominated affair.

Doncaster backs coach Paul Cooke said: “The boss is very much in our thoughts and it’s galvanized us and brought us closer together.

“We’re winning games without playing at our best, we’re ill-disciplined but finding a way and when we do click we’ll be really difficult to beat. Both teams were gritty and determined, not much skill at times but we really got stuck in there.”

Barely 36 seconds was on the clock when Richmond No. 8 Ed Milne’s charge down saw him score in the corner before the Knights gave away three early penalties – but full-back Rob Kirby missed the chances.

The next 20 minutes was nearly all Doncaster, piercing the home-side’s 22-metre area but unable to breach the Londoners. Just McColl scoring two from three penalties.

A five-metre line-out saw Richmond’s ex-skipper Will Warden dive inches short before centre Ronnie McLean-Dents bulldozed over to score

Within minutes of extending their lead, openside Jesse Liston was caught offside and, after a kick to corner, Doncaster hooker Ben Hunter used his low centre of gravity to scramble through.

Richmond wing Jono Woodward was sin-binned on the 35th minute for a slap-down.

The second-half begun in stop-start fashion, Doncaster taking the lead for the first time via McColl’s boot after Richmond scrum-half James Gibbs went offside.

Despite the home side having a number of breaks by Milne, centre Cameron Hudson and replacement Jordan Simpson-Hefft, poor handling and a few bad bounces exposed them and a kick-to-nothing by Cowell went wide via centre Joel Matavesi for Hayes to score.

Warden saw yellow for a high tackle but Richmond still pushed deep into Knights territory before James found wing Sam Edgerley’s pass to run out the game.

Richmond coach Steve Hill said: “The players will be really frustrated, at times we played really well, created chances but the bounce of the ball didn’t quite go our way.”