North Ribblesdale 18 Doncaster Phoenix 22

League leaders Doncaster Phoenix won the tactical battle by using the elements remorselessly in the second half to grind out a win.

Apart from what seemed a harsh penalty try, all their scores came from rolling mauls after line-outs.

Ribb’s cause was not helped by their lack of a coherent kicking game and the inability of their forwards to halt the mauls before they gathered damaging momentum.

Some Ribb forwards appear to think that their midfield backs need help in defence so as the Doncaster pack was grinding forward they were pretending to bolster what is the best midfield defence in the league.

The result was massive gains by Doncaster from the maul. On the isolated occasions when Ribb put eight men in the defensive maul they pushed Doncaster back.

Where the Ribb midfield do need help is in tactical nous. They had the advantage of the strong wind and rain in the first half but didn’t make it count.

They called all their moves but spent the bulk of their time playing round the halfway line.

Doncaster, in contrast, kicked remorselessly in the second half and Ribb never crossed the halfway line.

The match had started promisingly for Ribb.

After weathering a pick and drive move from the visitors, Ribb kicked deep into the Phoenix half.

A succession of line-outs followed and a good steal by Russs Ingham saw Matt Speres made ground to force a ruck on the Doncaster 22.

Mick Carr and Speres made valuable yards before presenting Nathan Dakin with an easy run in for the first try.

Steve Moon unluckily hit the post with the conversion.

Ribb were to suffer a setback soon after when their speedy winger Simon Bolland damaged a shoulder making a tackle and had to go off.

Doncaster won a penalty as the pressure began to tell on the home side and they mauled their way over for their first try. Ribb came back from the kick off and put Doncaster in their own 22.

A line-out drive and a dominant scrum on the ten-metre line led to Speres scoring a try which Moon converted.

From the restart a good break by Josh McFarlane put Ribb into the Doncaster 22. When therefore awarded them a penalty Moon took the three points on offer.

A good high kick by David Fox put Doncaster led to another penalty which enabled Moon to stretch the lead to 18-5.

Ribb were sensing the chance for more points when a midfield move faltered as a difficult pass was dropped.

Doncaster won the scrum and then kicked to the corner after Ribb were penalised for offside.

From the line-out Phoenix mauled their way over the line for a try.

The writing was on the wall early in the second half when the Doncaster stand off kicked the first possession into the Ribb 22.

They held out on that occasion but the whole of the second half was played in the Ribb’s half.

Doncaster repeatedly kicked into the corner as they kept the home side on the back foot.

Doncaster’s tactics were simple but effective. They mauled their way over the line for two more tries and Phoenix were also awarded a penalty try which was the only score they converted.

The visitors deserved their win as they used the elements far better than Ribb.

This was a disappointing result for Ribb and there are lessons to learn. The forwards need to put more effort into the main job and stop pretending to defend the fringes when in reality they are having a rest.

The team’s decision makers also have to play a more astute game with the elements, but this seems a forlorn hope.