Gav had been in fine kicking form but this attempt went across the posts and we  had to be content with our weekly bonus point, while Phoenix headed back to South Yorkshire with five points of their own. 

There was little sign of the drama to come in the early stages where we began brightly easing into a six point lead courtesy of Gavin Painter's boot. 

That merely served to galvanize the league leaders into action, with right winger Lee Wallace smartly finishing of a move which began with a catch and drive on the opposite touchline.  Fly half Jamie Lennard's kick rebounded off the woodwork, but he succeeded with a penalty two minutes later to put his side in front. 

On the quarter hour we lost flanker Chris Atkins to the sin bin for pulling down a rolling maul, and the visitors capitalised by scoring 12 points while he was off. 

First No 8 Ryan Peacey finished off another driving maul then centre Dave Hankinson went over after Wallace had collected on the half way line. The winger eluded three half hearted challenges before sending the centre clear. 

 Lennard converted to make it 20-6 and it very much looked like we would be blown away. 

Instead, the home side steadied the ship with the return of Atkins. The  line out was working well and a Dan Boatman take at the back of the line saw the ball whipped out to Peter Youll. He drew the defence to pop the ball up for Mallinson to cut inside and race over, with Painter adding the extras to make it 13-20 at the break. 

The powerful Phoenix side began the second half brightly and quickly put themselves two scores ahead. 

Lennard slotted a penalty just after the restart then full back Porter - a danger man whenever he came into the line - was allowed to run in untouched from 20 metres with Lennard converting. 

We came back with some powerful forward play of our own and, with Rob Thorn in in the centre and making ground with powerful runs, we got the scores our hard work deserved. 

Ryan Painter scored our second try of the afternoon as a succession of pick and gos scattered the Phoenix defence - the West  scrum half taking advantage by nipping through on the left wing to  set up the conversion for brother Gavin. 

Doncaster had won most of their game this season by big margins and were obviously unaccustomed to soaking up pressure as we mounted  attack after attack 

The reward came with  ten minutes left when Scott Butcher was clothes-lined as he was about to go in at the corner.  

Gavin Painter set up the opportunity with a superb up and under which Butcher caught as he was going at full speed into the Phoenix 22. 

 Full back Porter got a yellow card and Butcher was unable to continue, but  Gavin Painter got the much easier job of converting from in front of the posts to put us within one point of a history making victory. 

Sadly it was not to be. 

West: Luke Mallinson, Joe Willis, Greg Edwards, Peter Youll, Scott Butcher, Gavin Painter, Ryan Painter, Michael Hogan, Andrew Rollins, Ross Wood, Joe Rafferty, Chris Atkins, Dan Boatman (captain), Sam Milller.  

Replacements - all used. Adam Coates, Rob Thorn,  Jay Corbett 

Tries: Mallinson, R Painter, Pen Try. 

Conversions: G Painter (3) 

Penalties: G Painter (2) 

Yellow: Atkins (15 minutes) 

Doncaster Phoenix: Dan Porter, Lee Wallace, Dave Hankinson, Andy Ellis, Josh Fowler, Jamie Lennard, Joe Watts, Joe Lowcock, Alex Keeton, Tom Bagnall, Nick Byrne, Ross Owen, Rob Devonshire, Ben Hyde, Ryan Peacey (captain). 

Replacements - all used: Fran Hasija, James Holland, Ed Miles. 

Tries: Wallace, Peacey, Hankinson, Porter. 

Cons: Lennard (1) 

Pens: Lennard (2) 

Yellow: Porter (70 minutes). 

Referee: Matt Dunn (Durham)