Ill-discipline costs Doncaster Phoenix at Driffield

After a positive start to the season Phoenix have now lost five games on the bounce and dropped to ninth in Regional 1 North East and need to start picking up points.

The writing was on the wall for ill-disciplined Phoenix early on as the concession of two defensive penalties allowed Driffield to take a 6-0 lead in the first quarter of an hour.

The visitors scored the opening try on the half hour mark when Matty Drennan went over and Julian Lesczcynski added the extras.

Lesczcynski added a penalty but in the dying moments of the first half second row Kearen Wilson was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle and Driffield converted the subsequent penalty to reduce the half time deficit to 9-10.

A man down for the first ten minutes of the second period, the Phoenix defence was under constant pressure.

Not only were two more penalties conceded but just as they had restored numbers back to a full 15 a second yellow card was shown to Phoenix.

Trying to get back in the game, forcing the play took its toll on the Doncaster side and as one attack broke down Driffield countered to score a converted try to extend their lead to 22-10.

A third yellow card then saw Phoenix reduced to 13 men for a short period of time and the home side’s second try effectively closed out the game at 27-10 before Fraser Leiper’s try reduced the deficit.

Phoenix host Heath on Saturday (2.15pm).