The Steelers crashed to their second consecutive home defeat of the season against a well disciplined Doncaster Toll Bar team. Lack of discipline and a recognised goal kicker cost the Steelers the game. They raced into a 22-10 lead with 15 minutes to go only to be reduced to 12men when player-coach Crowe was sin-binned for retaliation after he had just scored under the posts. During this 10 minute spell the Steelers lost their momentum and allowed the Toll Bar to score two tries and then go on to clinch the game with only minutes remaining.
Doncaster started the game doing all the early pressing, totally dominating the first 20 minutes. They opened their account when Thomas crashed over and Smith converted (0-6). Only last gasp tackling from the Steelers prevented the Yorkshiremen from increasing their lead. The Steelers got back into the game when they moved play deep into the opposition half and Boyd scored a fine opportunist try by catching the Toll Bar defence napping a dived over from half back (4-6). Doncaster capitalised on the Steelers handling errors when they scored out wide through Barnes (4-10). Teesside then hit a purple patch and scored two tries in quick succession through Ward burrowing his way over from close range and Mills brushing off 3 defenders in a yard 30 yard run to the line (12-10). Then just before half time the Steelers increased their lead further when Darby fed second row Day who out paced the cover and raced in from 50 yards (16-10) HALF TIME.
The start of the second half was a scrappy affair, with both teams losing possession early in the tackle count. But the Steelers did go close several times during this spell through Taylor, Garside and Hood. The Steelers finally managed to break the resilient Doncaster defence when Derrick Lowe took play deep into the Toll Bar half after knocking off several would be tacklers. From the play the ball Crowe stepped his way through the defensive line to score under the posts. He was then sin binned for retaliation. Mills added the conversion to the try (22-10). Doncaster made their numerical advantage tell over then next ten minutes, by moving the ball out wide at every opportunity. This put the Steelers defence at sixes and sevens and Crawford took advantage of this to score two tries in the corner, Smith adding one conversion (22-20). The Steelers defence was now on the back foot and Doncaster sealed the game with only minutes remaining when Thomas raced 30 yards before offloading to Marshall who scored under the post Smith converting (22-26). FULL TIME