NEWPORT Gwent Dragons Premiership Select’s coach Greg Woods feels his side missed a great chance to take control of their British and Irish Cup pool after a narrow defeat to Doncaster.

The Gwent side’s campaign is still very much alive however after they picked up a losing bonus point and deprived the Knights of a four-try bonus point at Castle Park in an encounter played in atrocious conditions.

With Doncaster, who are flying high in the English Championship just behind Bristol, now leading the group on 11 points and the Dragons just a point behind them in second, Saturday’s showdown at Bedwas’ Bridge Field could define the pool.

“It was massive for us to get the losing bonus point, but I’m also a bit disappointed because I thought Doncaster were there for the taking,” Woods said.

“They are a strong side and we struggled to deal with their driving lineout in the first half but we regrouped brilliantly in the second – they were hanging on in there in the last 10 minutes.

“I’m really pleased with how the boys played after the interval – they really turned up then.

“Saturday’s return game is huge and it could well turn out to be the pool decider.”

The visitors got off to a great start when outside half Arwel Robson put them 3-0 up with a penalty in the opening minute.

But their lead was short-lived because the Knights struck back soon after when blindside flanker Latu Makaafi was driven over from a lineout for an unconverted try.

Wing Dougie Flockhart stretched the hosts’ advantage to 8-3 after quarter of an hour with a penalty after the Dragons were pinged at the scrum.

Things got worse for the Gwent side after 23 minutes when Makaafi scored his second, a carbon copy of his first try from a driving lineout.

This time Flockhart bagged the extras as Doncaster threatened to run away with it.

Having to cope with the heavy rain, the Dragons did get themselves right back into it just before the interval when scrum half Charlie Davies crossed for a try after evading two Knights players after some shoddy defensive work by the hosts, Robson converting.

With the Knights dominating the scrums, they were awarded a penalty which outside half Dec Cusack slotted over in the final seconds before the break.

At half-time, the Yorkshire side led 18-10.

Disaster struck for the Dragons early in the second half when replacement openside flanker Scott Matthews was yellow carded for a tip tackle.

With the driving lineout proving so effective, the hosts came close to going out of sight in the 45th minute only for their pack to be held up over the Dragons try-line.

They continued to squeeze the visitors and they did get on the scoreboard after Flockhart put over a penalty.

The Dragons were down to 13 men when another substitute, this time Richard Cornock, was sin binned, in the 52nd minute.

But it was Woods’ men who scored next, Robson reducing he Knights’ lead to 21-13 when he put over his second penalty in the 55th minute.

With the rain teeming down now, the Dragons did superbly to keep possession by going through phase after phase.

They were rewarded for their hard work when Robson kicked his third penalty with a quarter of an hour to go.

In the 73rd minute the Dragons had a golden chance to at least tie the scores when they kicked a penalty deep into Doncaster territory to give them a lineout but they suffered frustration when the throw didn’t go five metres.

The home side could have scored at the death to deprive the visitors of a bonus point but they held on to set up a potential battle royal on the weekend.

Doncaster: Paul Jarvis, Dougie Flockhart, Andy Bulumakau, Mat Clark, Tyson Lewis, Dec Cusack (Sam Olver 70), Sam Edgerley (Michael Heaney 70), Rich List (capt), Vili Veikoso, Colin Quigley (Joe Sproston 60), Tyler Hotson (Matt Challinor 72), Glen Young, Latu Makaafi, Will Owen, Alex Shaw (Michael Hills 48).

Replacements: Ben Hunter, Ted Stagg.

Doncaster scorers: Tries – Makaafi (2), Conversion – Flockhart, Penalties – Flockhart (2), Cuscack.

Dragons: Geraint Rhys Jones, Elliot Frewen, Aled Brew, Barney Nightingale (Connor Edwards 72), Aaron Warren (Luke Garrett 59-64), Arwel Robson, Charlie Davies; Luke Garrett (Richard Cornock 43), Hugh Gustafson (capt) Rhys Buckley (56), Leon Brown (Alex Jeffries 71), Scott Andrews, Adam Brown (Ashley Sweet 72), Luke Crocker (Scott Matthews 43), Nic Cudd, Harri Keddie.

Replacement: Owen Davies.

Dragons scorers: Try – Charlie Davies, Conversion – Robson, Penalties – Robson (3).