York will have taken great satisfaction from this win, finally ending a lengthy series of away losses but in doing so they also set out their credentials for being a side that everyone in this league should be wary of. York played with a confidence and composure seldom seen before that allowed their undoubted talent to express itself in a powerful and controlled display of rugby that Doncaster just couldn’t match.

York made their usual energetic lively start playing the game at a high tempo that had Doncaster on the back foot from the get-go. After only four minutes the York pressure gave them the opportunity of a penalty in good field position. Cusack made no mistake, slotting the ball through the middle of the uprights to take York into a 0-3 lead. The floodlights seemed quite low and proved to be a challenge for the home side as Cusack intelligently unleashed the bomb that is his right boot and sent the ball high over the lights into the Doncaster 22. The defence tried to position themselves to collect the ball but had little time to react to its flight when it appeared out of the darkness. The York follow up was quick and ruthless. They quickly recovered possession and started to move the ball into space on the right. With Doncaster trying to reorganise their defence York exploited the holes and Cusack went over for the try. The conversion missed, York were ahead 0-8. York were soon back in the Doncaster half from the restart. Atkin fed the ball left from the breakdown to the backs and a short pass found Jackson crashing on a straight run to break the initial line of defence with some power and pace and very nimble feet to boot, as he shimmied past the remaining defence. The field and the line open in front of him many wondered if he had the wrong number on his back. Brave and desperate tackling from behind by Doncaster managed to pull him down short of the line but Doncaster infringed at the resulting breakdown and Cusack slotted another penalty to take the game to 0-11 in favour of York.

The opening twenty minutes was to prove to be the foundation of the game that secured York’s victory. Playing front foot rugby in attack and defence, York always had the momentum in the contact area and consequently the advantage. As the initial tempo dropped Doncaster started to come to terms with the York pressure and claw their way back into the game. This was not rugby for the feint hearted. You could hear the collisions from the touchline as neither side gave any quarter. The Doncaster pressure started to give them better field position and a penalty opportunity when York were adjudged to be offside at the loose. Fly half Drennan kicked the penalty, Doncaster Phoenix 3, York 11. Doncaster were soon pressuring the York line again with a lineout in the York 22m area. A longstanding issue for York, this was no exception, Doncaster set up the driving maul and York couldn’t keep them out. Drennan missed the conversion Doncaster Phoenix 8, York 11. This was the half time score, Cusack missing a penalty just before the whistle.

The second half proved a more balanced affair. Both sides playing good rugby but making more mistakes since the arrival of the rain and the wet ball. Cusack didn’t start the second half having taken a knock late in the first half and was replaced by newcomer Chris Wood. Despite being so new he didn’t know all the calls and moves, he quickly settled into the standard of play being set by the team generally and should be very pleased with his debut. The second half was characterised by the physical confrontation and the organisation and quality of York’s awareness and decision making. The tackling from both sides was immense but particularly from the York centres Atkinson and Barrick who were both completely uncompromising in their individual efforts, turning Doncaster back on themselves time and time again with crashing tackles. The wet ball was producing more mistakes and more scrums as a result. York became more and more dominant in the set piece as the game went on. Another strong scrum from York had the referee on the verge of awarding a penalty for the Doncaster front row standing up when Atkin saw his opportunity, scampered through the gap and powered his way over for York’s second try that Davies converted. A late penalty for Doncaster took the final score to Doncaster Phoenix 11, York 18.

This was an uncompromising, high quality game of rugby between two good sides made all the better by the invisibility of the referee Mr Sam Yates. His performance should not go unrecognised. His quiet control of a high paced powerful encounter was superb, allowing the game to be played fairly by both sides; consistency in his decision making enabling both sides to adapt to his interpretation of the laws quickly and get on with the rugby.

A great evening of rugby, the remaining sides in the league should beware. When York plays with this whole-team confidence, quality and composure they are a tough side to beat – home or away.