Doncaster returned to action in EHL Conference North with a 4-1 win at struggling Leek, writes Matthew Goodwin.
Andy Appleton, Matt Gibson, Josh Oades and Travis Cresswell found the net for the Town Field men as they recorded their fourth leaguw win of the season.
The victory leaves Doncaster handily positioned in fifth.
Doncaster travelled to Staffordshire knowing it was a place where they had found points hard to come by in previous encounters and without top scorer Joe Morrison through injury.
However, they got off to a perfect start when Cresswell’s first minute penalty corner hit a defender on the line and Appleton scored the resulting penalty stroke.
Doncaster settled the better, playing some fluid attacking hockey, notably through Tasmanian Vaughn Bowen.
And they extended their lead through Gibson and an Oades deflected goal following good work by Bowen.
The hosts found themselves chasing the game up to half time, often with a man down due to a number of card offences.
Doncaster started the second half much in the same vein as the first.
However, not long after the re-start a momentary lapse in concentration allowed Leek back into the game.
Ian Schulz rounded Doncaster keeper Dave Overton to score following a two-man break away.
Doncaster were able to hit back immediately when Cresswell rounded the home keeper to score the fourth and settle any nerves.
The latter stages of the game continued to see the visitors carve out some good scoring chances, although they failed to add to their tally.
At the other end, Pete Bartlett made several good challenges to keep Leek’s forwards at bay.
Doncaster host Durham University this Saturday (2pm) without the services of Andy Appleton (work) and Travis Cresswell (suspension) but will be looking to continue their good home form.
n Doncaster’s ladies slipped to only their second league defeat of the season as they went down 2-1 at home to Bowden.
Doncaster sit third in the North Premier Division.