A young Leeds Carnegie bowed out of the Yorkshire Cup on Tuesday night but could held their heads up high after a determined performance against a virtually first team from Doncaster.
The oldest player on the Leeds Carnegie side was 23-year-old Tom Rock was the majority of the side was 20 or under. However, they stood up manfully to the test posed by the Knights before eventually going down 29-15.
The goal kicking of Doncaster fly half Cerith Rees was the difference between the two sides in a sometimes bad tempered Yorkshire Cup semi-final at West Park Leeds with both sides scoring two tries.
The home side took an early lead through Chris Steel after just six minutes however the Knights struck back 14 minutes later through winger Donavon Van Vuuren cut back towards the post to score a try that Rees converted.
Undaunted, the Leeds youngsters went back into the lead after 29 minutes when they took advantage of poor midfield defence by the Knights to work right wing Sam Bottomley, who replaced Scott Armstrong for this game, over in the corner. Adam Greendale converted with a good kick from near the touchline to give his side a 12-7 lead. 
However, the experience of the Doncaster side earned them two penalty chances before half time which Rees successfully converted to give his side the narrowest of leads, 13-12, at the break.
The home side played into the wind in the second half and they found themselves penned in their own half after the restart. Having been awarded a penalty close to the Leeds line, Doncaster elected to kick to the corner and Ollie Cook was driven over by his pack from the line out to extend the lead. Rees converted to make it 20-12.
Leeds were given a lifeline when Greendale kicked his second penalty of the night but Rees then kicked two more to give his side an unassailable lead at 26-15.
With 13 minutes left the game erupted when a mass brawl started in midfield and, with the referee totally out of control, it went on for almost a minute. Eventually peace was restored with the referee yellow carding the Knights Chris Planchant and Spencer Davey, both on as replacements, and Leeds lock James Craig. Rees kicked a further penalty to complete the scoring at 29-15 that ended Leeds Carnegie's hopes in the Yorkshire Cup for another season.