like a number of other clubs they post on TotalRL.com, there main concern is if the players have paid for a supporters coach to Doncaster.

BIG Match Preview

Doncaster Rugby League Club are in action this evening when they take on York City Knights in a vital rearranged Kingstone Press Championship fixture at the Keepmoat Stadium (7:30pm kick-off).

The original fixture should’ve taken place on Sunday 24th March but the wintery weather put a hold on proceedings and York will go into this game knowing they have to win to keep up their hopes of survival.

The game will be held in memory of fallen soldier Liam Maughan who sadly lost his life in 2010 whilst in the line of duty - he was only 18 years of age. Doncaster born Liam served with the 3rd Battalion The Rifles (3 RIFLES) and was on a tour of Afghanistan when this tragedy happened.

This will be the fourth time the club have held a game in Liam's memory in as many years, and his family will be at the game when the Dons will be hoping to book their place in the forthcoming play-offs. Please note that there will be a minutes silence before the start of the game.

Dons’ skipper Kyle Kesik could still feature tonight even though he sustained a nasty broken nose against the Rams last week. The tough tackling hooker carried on playing at Dewsbury after picking up the injury which typifies his approach to the game.

Prop Russ Spiers returns to the squad after missing last week’s game against his former club and there could also be a return for utility forward Grant Edwards who has missed the last three games through injury.

The Dons lost their last game 24-10 against Dewsbury, which has prompted head coach Tony Miller to admit his side needs to make major improvements in the final week of the regular season.

Miller said: “We went off the boil against Dewsbury and unless we dramatically improve we won’t make an impact in the play-offs.

“We’ve two home games left and we need to hit a bit of form to take some confidence into next week’s play-offs if we’re fortunate enough to be a part of them.

“York are fighting for their lives so they’ll be busting a gut to get the three points on offer tonight.

“We know we’re in for a tough 80 minutes and they’ve already beaten us once this season so we’ll need to be smart and play to our strengths at the Keepmoat.“

Under-pressure York travel without skipper James Ford, but Jack Aldous and Kris Brining could return to Gary Thornton’s side. Defeat for the Knights would confirm their relegation to Kingstone Press Championship One.

Thornton said: “It’s becoming pretty desperate for us now, there’s no doubting that.

“If we lose, then the trip to Batley (on Sunday) will be totally irrelevant.”

The club will be selling the original York match day magazine from March tonight but will come with an insert which will list the current squads. A #COYD match day magazine will cost just £1 and this edition was the very first of the new design.

We hope to see you there. Miss it, miss out!

#COYD

Match Day Sponsor

Corsan Electrical Contractors Ltd - the club would like to thank our sponsors for their kind support.

Match Day Admission

Polite notice: please purchase your match day ticket from the stadium’s ticket office before entering the turnstiles.

Adults £15, concessions £12, juniors (5-16) £3 and under 5’s go free. Please note that current Doncaster Rover season ticket holders can watch the Dons last three home games of the regular season for just £5 per game.

Please call the ticket office on 01302 762576 if you require any more information on ticketing.

Last Five Results

2nd June 2013: York City Knights win 42-10 at Huntington Stadium
19th May 2013: Doncaster RLFC win 24-12 at Huntington Stadium
19th February 2012: York City Knights win 29-18 at Keepmoat Stadium
4th July 2010: York City Knights win 32-16 at Huntington Stadium
28th March 2010: Doncaster RLFC win 40-24 at Keepmoat Stadium

Referee

D Merrick

That was exactly my first thought before reaching your response. Let's hope this potential banana skin is dealt with accordingly.

Probably because we have been in simlar situations before and chucked it away. We seem to play better against the higher placed teams than the bottom ones. York have nothing to lose tonight they just have to go for it and they could be very dangerous. We need to be out of the traps early.

We will need to show better discipline tonight than was the case last Thursday, that is for sure.

Hope Sanderson is back tonight , give Dennis a rest tonight, Spiers & Edwards also should return. BUT I have never been a sports coach.

Butterfield

Sanderson
Cowling
Dawson
Scott

Cooke
Fawcett

Castle
Kesik
Carbutt

Kelly
Spurr

Edwards

Reps
Waller
Spiers
Trout
Emmett

That is my team not Tony's , he will probably pick Lee Waterman , but it might be a bit tasty tonight .

COYD

Tonight's Eagles game at Featherstone as been featured on every sports bulletin on Radio Sheffield today, there as been no mention of the Dons v York game.

Dunno but i hav the same feeling lol

Having the bottom club do the double over you while previously having great wins at Fev, Batley and a draw at Fax, would sort of sum Donny up.
But surely we can sort this one out?
We are inferior without Kay though.
But a win surely?

Dons generally asked to concede 12 points on the Handicap Betting. Skybet continue to embarrass themselves by dangling a carrot of only -10 but then have a ceiling of a £27.50 stake

There will be a terrible storm and one set of posts will fall down.
Someone will ask the crowd if anyone has an hacksaw.
HT 4-4
Dons go on to win narrowly.

Dreadful start.

0-10 after 10 mins



Make that 14.

6-14 after 24 - Butts
12-14
12-20


18-20

- Dennis
24-20

- Carbutt

presumably all converted by Dave Scott?

30-20 . York presumably running out of steam - Cookey

34-20 Game over. Phew.

38-20 FT

Rocket up backsides needed, that could easily have gone pear-shaped.
BUT ... the lads dug in and did the business.
Was enjoying it at the end.
Felt sorry for York a bit and their fans, they put up a great fight.

Well, 0-14 , not in the game , York playing well. Spear tackle on Kes seemed to change the game .
In the end we ran out clear winners , Lee Waterman had his best game for a while when he came on.

As did Tuffour I'm normally not his biggest fan due to defensive frailties and don't think he consistently offers enough with his attack, but today I thought he had the best game I've seen him play all season and IMO unlucky not to get M.O.T.M. Still agree with it going to Scott though, thought it was a 50-50 call between the two of them.

They put him right onto his broken nose and the tissues were passed to mop up the claret.
Kes is a proper man.

Yes Dennis did play better & Kes was inspirational when he came on & was clearly targeted by York & no10 in the spear tackle incident , seemed to bring us to life .

In the end it was a good result but it is a pity it took a spear tackle on poor Keswick's broken nose to get us going. But once we are going we are difficult to stop. Another top performance by Scott with Danny Cowling right up there too.

Poor start, but credit York for that, picked up the pace and started to look half decent, ended up a lot more comfortable than looked likely .

Agree York deserve some credit for their early efforts built on the foundation of the kicking game of Simon Brown. Jack Lee also looked useful.

did they announce attendance don't recall hearing it.

Attendance 580 , average this season dips just below 700.

Thanks , disappointing

a very good response to a very poor first 20 minutes, but after that we played some very good rugby and scored some very good tries. Waterman was just a different player and the pleasing factor for me was his improved discipline. Dennis was sensational tonight in all aspects of the game and that last run where he burst through 2 or 3 tacklers and run 50 metres to create a try from the next play was awesome. Play-offs unbelievable achievement considering where we were 9 games ago, Credit to all at the club and will be there on Sunday for Tony's last home League game