Rams turn on style to take down Dons

Rams Dale Morton looks to take on Doncasters Mike Kelly and Steve Snitch

The Rams were back to their best defensively as they restricted Doncaster to just one try, which came while Dewsbury were down to 12 men following the sin-binning of Rob Spicer.

Anthony Thackeray again led the Rams with another top display, capped by two tries, Tom Hemingway landed two 40-20 kicks to set up attacks, while there were also fine games from winger Dale Morton and the returning Spicer. Both sides had early efforts but defences remained firm before there was a lengthy hold up midway through the first half following a head injury to Russ Spiers.

The former Rams man received expert medical treatment before being stretchered from the field. On the resumption Dave Scott put Doncaster in front with a penalty. The lead was short lived as Thackeray spotted a gap in the defence and raced through before outpacing the cover for a terrific individual try.

Doncaster were forced to drop out on three occasions and Rams pressure finally paid off in the 54th minute of the first half when loanee Kyle Briggs broke from a scrum and raced over wide on the right to put Dewsbury 8-2 ahead at half-time. Dewsbury extended their lead seven minutes after the break as Morton produced a terrific run down the left, shrugging off Nev Morrison before cutting inside.

He was eventually hauled down short of the line but Dewsbury had momentum and Callan Beckett crashed over from acting half-back, with Hemingway adding his first conversion.

A lovely sweeping move saw Thackeray feed Karl Pryce and he sent Shane Grady racing in at the right corner as Dewsbury led 18-2.

The sin-binning of Spicer, for a late tackle on Jacob Miller offered the Dons hope and Liam Watts pulled a try back, with Scott converting.

Dewsbury’s defence survived the remainder of the spell down to 12 men and on Spicer’s return, he produced a surging drive to put the Rams back on attack.

Victory was clinched five minutes from time when Makali Aizue drove towards the posts before Thackeray darted right and over for his second try, with Kieran Hyde converting to cap a very satisfactory win, which gives the Rams confidence going into Sunday’s trip to unbeaten leaders Leigh.