Holden on song to give edge to Knights
MALIQ Holden’s second-half try helped Doncaster overcome a first-leg defeat to progress to the Championship Cup quarter-finals, with the Cornish Pirates still able to continue in the cup as the best losers.
After a narrow 26-24 defeat in Yorkshire two weeks ago, it took tries from Holden, Will Holding, Mark Best and a Sam Hudson brace to secure an impressive victory.
Pirates co-coach Gavin Cattle said: “We will reflect on this, and we knew this was going to be a bit of a learning phases, but they beat us at our own game, in terms of our kick execution from the back, as it wasn’t what it needed to be.”
The Pirates built on their first-leg advantage to begin with Alfie Petch
grabbing the first try. A swift exit from a Pirates’ lineout saw Callum Sirker clatter into the Doncaster defence before the ball was recycled and Petch got over the line, with Harry Bazalgette converting.
The kicker was called into action again with a penalty kick, after a Doncaster offside call, but skewed his shot wide. Later in the half, Bazalgette made amends with a kick from in front of the posts.
It didn’t take long for Doncaster to get themselves back into the game, after John Kelly broke through the line and sent a pass inside to Sam Hudson, who burst away from the chasing defenders to finish the move off. Billy McBryde added the extras.
Doncaster were beginning to find their feet in the match and, although McBryde missed his next kick, it wasn’t long until
Hudson scored his second try. The back row pierced through the defence and showed his pace again to slide across the line, with McBryde failing to nudge the Knights ahead on aggregate.
And, after sustained pressure from the away side, the Pirates battled back to put themselves
into the lead. A wellreceived Ruaridh Dawson kick by AJ Cant was quickly released to Sirker to end a creative attack.
But in the second half, it was Doncaster who took complete control of the scoreline.
Eight minutes into the half, Holling timed his attack perfectly to bundle over the line with McBryde getting the extras.
A quickfire double from Best and Holden strengthened the Knights position. Flyer Holden linked well with centre Fraser Strachan who flicked the ball to Holden to score.
Cant got pinched in possession by Best, who denied the full-back’s kick, and was rewarded with a simple try.
Doncaster’s lead was threatened with Rory Parata closing the aggregate score to within seven points, on his return, but Sam Olver eased the Knights’ nerves with a penalty kick to send Doncaster into the next round.