Along with the team, the crowd seemed flat too. It was like the promotion party had just finished last night, or we were still preseason.



Re: Sando, I understand there may have been a family reason preventing him from being selectable

A couple of times when the crowd really were fired up, we dropped the ball or made a forward pass on the next tackle. Summed up our day, really, especially when later on we managed to knock-on on the first tackle in their 25.



Incidentally, am I right in thinking that if a player is dragged into touch, rather than pushed, a penalty can be awarded this season? Surely Cowling was dragged into touch in the second half?

Correct, I don't think the ref got the memo about rule changes because he didn't play the new advantage rule either. Both teams had opportunities to use it but were both denied by the ref whistling before the tackle was competed

Glad about that. The ref was getting

from me.



Otherwise it would have been





Can you explain the advantage rule again please? Am still none-the-wiser from your programme notes, der

I never noticed any of that, but then I was absorbed in the game.

I don't know why anyone would walk out when the game is still win-able.

Even I don't do that.



The crowd was quite good at around 850, so perhaps some of those were newbies and they ended up being disappointed.

That would be a shame if that was the case after all the hard work to get folk to turn out this season.



I have got to give Dewsbury credit for them pressurising the Dons into so many mistakes.

We wouldn't have dropped it so many times normally.



It also goes to show that with a little more application and a little more endeavour we could have easily won, even if that would have been a bit unfair on Dewsbury.



Dewsbury were camped on our try line for long periods and it's a wonder that they didn't get a hat-full of tries. But our defence was very good and also very kind to keep gifting the ball back and heaping pressure straight back on ourselves.



Just a bad day at the office that's all.

I doubt we will get 850 against Workington as a result though.



I should imagine the players are very disappointed with what they served up.



Still, we are just outside the play-offs and above the Eagles. It's not all bad.





COYD

Following a knock on or a forward pass the advantage is supposed to run til the end of the next completed tackle.



So for example, yesterday there was a situation where Dewsbury knocked on, it bobbled about a bit and Cowling picked it up (by which time the referee had already blown his whistle).



What he should have done was waited til either Dewsbury regathered and killed the ball, or one of our player's was tackled in possession.



Theoretically Cowling should have been able to pick it up, run a bit, pass it a few times and put up a bomb under the same advantage, with it coming to an end only when the ball is dead.

Another thing, don't deliberate knock-ons incur a penalty, like in yawnion?



If so, we should have had one when Cookey's pass to Cowling was slapped by one of the Rams' players, preventing at least the semblance of a break.



All-in-all though, we were far too static and predictable with the ball in hand. Goulding's kicking game is excellent, pity about his catching

. His 40:20 kick was superb. Pity we blundered on the first tackle thereafter

James Clare anyone?

Perhaps Baroness Emmuska Orczy would know, if she was still alive.

Oh, I get it now

, thanks for that, the working example did it





I thought the advantage rule was a given already but at least now it's set in stone...or not...if you happen to be called Thomason

I think Cas have recalled him due to an injury crisis, S-O. Was Liam Kay on the bench?

I see, but he didn't figure in their squad yesterday.

Kay played as left wing didn't he?

Did he? I missed the announcement. Got in late as usual. No. 28 then? Cowling seemed to be on the left wing for much of the game. Clare will have been recalled as "cover", I would imagine. Doubt he will get a game there, but that's a vagary of the dual-reg scheme unfortunately.