Paul Cooke’s reign as Dons coach got off to an encouraging start with an entertaining 16-16 draw against Super League Hull FC.
Liam Welham, Dennis Tuffour and Mark Castle got on the trysheet but it was Doncaster’s disciplined and dogged defending that really caught the eye - although Hull scored twice in the last ten minutes to earn a last gasp tie.
Kick-off was delayed ten minutes due to the large number of travelling Hull fans still queuing at the ticket office.
And when the game eventually got underway it was the Super League club who were camped in Doncaster territory for the opening quarter.
However, Hull’s youngsters failed to make that advantage count and only had a Joe Arundel try to show for their first half efforts, the centre latching onto Harry Tyson-Wilson’s neat kick to touch down.
Dons weathered the storm, defended stoutly and grew in confidence as the contest wore on.
Scott Spaven’s superb kick to the corner fell kindly for new signing Liam Welham, and Stu Sanderson added the extras.
And the hosts increased their lead on the stroke of half time when the ball was shifted right for Dennis Tuffour to score in the corner.
Dons began the second period in a similar vein and Mark Castle bulldozered his way over, allowing Dave Scott to add the extras.
Josh Bowden eventually penetrated the Dons’ defensive wall, and Jacob Miller converted, to set up a tense finale.
And with their final set Dean Hadley broke clear to score, with Miller’s conversion tying the scores with the final kick.
* Dons: Butterfield, Sanderson, Welham, Morrison, Scott, Nicklas, Spaven, Waller, Kesik, Carbutt, Kelly, Robinson, Emmett. Subs: Waterman, Leaf, Castle, Cunningham, Wilkinson, Tuffour, Ward, Spiers.
* Hull: Nicklin, Stark, Arundel, Whiting, Leaming, H Tyson-Wilson, Miller, Bowden, Cunningham, Green, Kent, Pitts, Hadley. Subs: Wilson, Starling, Dean, Logan, Turget, Johnson, Dunns, Brahm, Fash, Wood, B Tyson-Wilson, Smith, Liggins.
* Attendance: 1,734