Doncaster Knights 30 Yorkshire Carnegie 32: Buckle's last-gasp try earns derby spoils for Carnegie

The broadcasters missed a classic as Yorkshire Carnegie hooker Joe Buckle came up with an injury-time try to defeat 14-man Doncaster Knights and secure a Championship double over their fierce rivals.

Sky suffered a technical fault meaning it was only the hardy folk at Castle Park who witnessed this incident-packed derby.

Doncaster saw USA lock Nick Civetta red-carded for a high tackle on scrum-half Will Homer in first-half injury-time.

His side led just 15-13 at that point yet ignored the numerical disadvantage to forge 25-13 ahead in the 56th minute.

However, with two-try Chris Elder in sparkling form, Jimmy Lowes’ side finally got home as Alex Davies kicked the winning conversion.

Doncaster boss Clive Griffiths had sacrificed winger Tyson Lewis at the break to bring on lock Morgan Eames in a bid to keep parity up front and the tatic almost paid off.

Earlier, Carnegie did not even get into the home 22 until the 16th minute but then made it pay.

Tom Casson’s lovely inside pass sent George Watkins surging through midfield and, though he was dragged down by Curtis Wilson, Davies’ crossfield kick soon found the unmarked Elder who sauntered over. Davies converted but full-back Elder was soon in bother.

Michael Hills charged down Davies’ kick to put pressure on Carnegie and Colin Quigley looked like proving to be an unlikely try assister as the tighthead prop floated a pass wide to the right.

Elder stretched up a hand to knock it down and – after plenty of deliberation with the TMO – was eventually not only yellow-carded but also saw a penalty try awarded against his side.

Initially, they dealt well with the numerical disadvantage, Davies levelling at 10-10 with a penalty after Carnegie’s scrum had unsettled the hosts. However, Homer became the latest player to nudge out on the full from a box kick and Doncaster duly capitalised with ex-Carnegie winger Wilson angling over for a fine finish after great work from Alex Shaw and Charlie Foley.

Humberstone missed the conversion attempt and then, after Davies slotted a penalty, also sailed the restart clear into touch to invite the pressure that led to the Civetta incident.

Nevertheless, Davies missed the penalty and Doncaster got the perfect start to the second period with a fine try from the excellent Will Owen.

Jack Ram’s break down the right saw Wilson go close and, though Elder denied the winger, Heaney’s brilliant cut-out pass put over the ex-Rotherham centre. Humberstone improved and added a 56th minute penalty to leave his side improbably 25-13 ahead.

But Carnegie immediately hit back from the restart with swift move to right where Andy Forsyth exploited the space vacated by the departed Lewis.

Soon after, Watkins supplied Elder for his second and Davies levelled – only for Doncaster to strike straight back with a Mat Clark try in the 66th minute.

It seemed they would hold on as the inevitable barrage came, the excellent Ram, in particular, coming up with some fine scramble defence and then their scrum holding out for fully five minutes on their own five metre line as Carnegie continually ignored three points.

Eventually, though, Buckle rumbled over from a line-out.

Doncaster Knights: Foley; Wilson, Clark, Owen, Lewis (Eames 40); Humberstone (Cusack 80), Heaney (James 75); List (Bergmanas 65), Nelson (Langdon 76), Quigley (Sproston 65), Challinor, Civetta, Ram, Hills, Shaw (Hill 69).

Yorkshire Carnegie: Elder; Watkins, Forsyth, Casson (Burdon 56), McColl; Davies, Homer (Green 40-41-68); Thomas, Buckle, Beech, Whetton, Myerscough (Stedman 65), West, Mayhew (Bainbridge 75), Beck.

Referee: Greg MacDonald (RFU).