Match Report | Sheffield Eagles 0-46 Doncaster
04/04/2026
The first South Yorkshire derby of the season ended in defeat for the Eagles on Good Friday as we fell to a 46-0 loss at home to Doncaster R.L.F.C.
Craig Lingard’s side headed into the fixture hoping to make it back-to-back victories in the Betfred Championship after last Sunday’s late 18-16 win over Dewsbury Rams, but they knew it would be tough coming up against a Doncaster side, who were on a six-match winning run in the league.
The Eagles head coach was forced to name two changes to his starting thirteen for the visit of Doncaster, with both captain Joel Farrell and Connor Bower both unavailable.
Josh Hodson moved into the second-row, Will Oakes moved to centre, whilst there were starts handed to both Jack Bussey and Ryan Millar. Marcus Green was also named on the interchange bench as he made his first appearance of 2026 for the Eagles.
The visitors got off the mark quick at the Steel City Stadium as early tries in the opening thirteen minutes through Bureta Faraimo and Luis Johnson saw them go into an early 10-0 lead.
After going behind early in the game, the Eagles were dealt another blow before the twenty-minute mark as Jordan Lilley was required to come off having gone down injured.
The loss of Lilley required the Eagles to reshuffle around even more, but that didn’t stop the visitors going over for another two quick tries, this time courtesy of former Eagles James Glover and Cory Aston.
Two more quick-fire tries before the break saw Doncaster edge themselves even further ahead, as scores by Tom Holmes and Connor Jones saw them lead 32-0 heading into half time.
Doncaster took only two minutes to get going again in the second half as Reece Lyne dotted down in the right corner, for their seventh try of the afternoon.
Glover added a brace with Doncaster’s eighth try of the afternoon minutes later with a score in the opposite corner, before a late try through Jones, also his second of the day, wrapped up a 46-0 win for the visitors.
The Eagles face another tough clash in the Betfred Championship next time out as we head to down to the capital to face London Broncos at The Cherry Red Records Stadium on Saturday 11th April (6pm KO).
Sheffield Eagles: Brown, Millar, Gill, Oakes, Walkley, Morgan, Lilley, Matongo, Johnson, Reilly, Hodson, Griffin, Griffin
Interchanges (all used): Butterworth, Broadbent, Bowes, Green
18th Man: Ellis
Doncaster: Holmes, Faraimo, Lyne, Glover, Gebbie, Aston, Robinson, Gwaze, Jones, Matagi, Sutcliffe, Johnson, Mustapha
Interchanges (all used): Hepi, Jones, McConnell, Pauli
18th Man: Baldwinson
Tries: Faraimo (4’), Johnson (13’), Glover (26’, 48’), Aston (29’), Holmes (37’), Jones (40’, 74’), Lyne (42’)
Goals: Robinson (5/9)
Referee: S. Mikalauskas
Attendance: 1,194
Player of the Match: Martyn Reilly
