Doncaster’s 14 men dig in after red to Margetts

By GUY WILLIAMS

Doncaster K …..29pts

Tries: McBryde 10, Davidson 18, Metcalf 20, Bedlow 35

Conversions: Bennett 10, 18, 35

Penalties: Bennett 66

Cambridge ……. 19pts

Tries: Benson 7, 21; Merigan 30

Conversions: James 7, 30

A RED card against Doncaster centre Joe Margetts midway through the second half for a dangerous tackle on Cambridge centre Jamie Benson was the major talking point at Castle Park where the Knights earned maximum points to claim their seventh league victory.

As Benson, who had earlier scored two excellent tries for an enterprising Cambridge team, was on the attack again, he clashed with Margetts on 60 minutes.

Benson landed on his neck following a tip-tackle and required treatment, but then continued. The referee Hamish Grant was decisive and brandished a red card, and it's likely that Margetts will be banned for more than a month.

Although Doncaster played 20 minutes with 14 men, and wasted several opportunities to add to their lead of 26-19, Cambridge were unable to take advantage of the Knights' understrength.

Knight's coach Steve Boden didn't query the red card. He said: “I can't argue. We know the laws of the game and where it's going. There was no intent by Joe, but Benson steps inside him, it's high and Joe has to look after him.

“I'm really happy with five points but we should have been scoring 50 points because of where we had the ball.

“But it's the same old thing. You can have as much possession as you like, but if you don't do anything with it, you'll suffer. However, I'm happy with our set-piece and parts of our defence and the fact we dominated field positions.”

In a decent first half, tries by fly-half Billy Mc-Bryde, prop Conor Davidson, winger Jack Metcalf and centre Joe Bedlow, and three conversions from full-back Russell Bennett, set up Doncaster's win against adventurous and committed opponents.

Indeed, after Cambridge's third try by No.8 Nahum Merigan was converted, the teams were drawing 19-19, so Doncaster were relieved when Bedlow – set up by his powerful pack on Cambridge's line – spotted an opening to grab his team's fourth try just before the interval.

A lead of 26-19 looked flimsy, and after throwing away five decent scoring opportunuities, the Knights were more than grateful when Bennett put over a penalty in the 66th minute to open up a gap of 10 points.

With Doncaster in charge and leading 29- 19, Cambridge – whose scrum-half Kieran Duffin had an impressive game on his 100th appearance for the club – were chasing the game and attacked the Knights' line late on but spoiled the opportunity when conceding a penalty, so the hosts survived.