Crunch: Matt Jones tackes Justin Bishop. Dave Jackson
London Welsh produced a scintillating second half display to beat Doncaster 29-3 at Old Deer Park and keep them on track for their highest league finish in four seasons.
After trailing at the break to a Cerith Rees penalty, after being forced to defend for most of the first half, Welsh exploded into life to blitz the Knights with four second-half tries, and keep them snapping away at the heels of seventh placed Coventry.
It was the visitors that dominated an attritional opening half, forcing Welsh to produce some heroic defence on their own line on more than one occasion, while early pressure for the Knights went unrewarded, with fly half Rees twice off target, as Welsh infringed.
But it was Welsh, with a rare first half excursion into Doncaster territory, that very nearly set alight the opening 40 and gave the game its opening try. Matthew Jones' cross field kick picked out Paul Sampson, and he in turn found Alex Goode, who fed Paul Mackey to cross, only for the touch judge to spot a stray foot in touch from Goode in the build up.
Jones was next to err when presented with a sight of the uprights, but Rees made it third time lucky as he edged the Knights into a deserved lead, after Welsh were penalised for pulling down a Doncaster maul.
The pressure was growing on Welsh and after the Knights pack had rumbled their way up to the line, flanker Bryn Griffiths' was just short as he stretched for the tryline. Simon Etheredge turned the ball over and Goode hacked clear for the Exiles, as the Welsh tackle count continued to rise.
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Taylor saw yellow for holding on in the tackle, after Jones failed to find his touch with his penalty, and Doncaster countered through Chris Planchant and Anthony Carter.
Justin Bishop couldn't take Carter's final pass, as Doncaster stretched 14-man Welsh, while Rees' grubber caused havoc in the Welsh 22, but once again Doncaster couldn't find the key to unlock a stubborn Welsh defence.
Jones brought Welsh level with a penalty just three minutes into the second half, and with Taylor back into the fray the balance was beginning to tilt in the home sides favour.
Mark Woodrow, on for Rees, saw his drop goal attempt brilliantly charged down by Howard Quigley before Welsh prop Aaron Liffchak took centre stage.
Etheredge pounced on loose ball on the Welsh 22 and the Exiles countered; Jones' high ball was brilliantly plucked out of the air by Alex Cadwallader and when the ball found its way back to Jones, the Welsh fly half picked out Liffchak hugging the right hand touchline.
From 35-metres out the dynamic prop ducked under one tackle, before side stepping another to finish with aplomb. Jones converted.
Welsh were suddenly on fire and their second try soon arrived as Jones sliced his way through the Doncaster midfield and into the 22, before finding Goode on his shoulder to score by the posts. Jones added the extras.
Doncaster No.8 Planchant saw yellow as the Welsh forwards then turned the screw, and after a succession of penalties which saw the Exiles repeatedly opt for the scrum, the Exiles were finally awarded with a penalty try. Jones converted from in front of the posts.
The Knights however, weren't a man down for long as Alex Walker joined Planchant in the bin, but it was Welsh that still posed the greater attacking threat as they went in search of the bonus-point score.
They would not have to wait long, as two robust carries by Paul Mackey resulted in Paul Sampson sliding over for try number four, to round off a sensational afternoon for Welsh, built squarely on a gutsy first half display.
London Welsh: N Taylor (A Cadwallader 52min), P Sampson, A Goode, P Mackey (R Jewell 79min), M Tagicakibau, M Jones, A Chilten (M Wilson 79min), D Williams (C Beech 50min), S Koto Vuli (A Walker 71min), A Liffchak (D Williams 76min), H Quigley (B Thomas 77min), W Lewaravu (K Burke 76min), J Mills , S Etheredge, H Jenkins.
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