Greig Tonks shines as Nottingham beat Doncaster

Tonks was in fine form with the boot

Greig Tonks scored 22 points as Nottingham ground out out a 27-21 victory over Championship rivals Doncaster Knights at Meadow Lane.

Phil Eggleshaw crossed for the other try and Tonks was thrilled to get back to winning ways after the enforced break because of the cold weather.

Tonks told BBC Radio Nottingham: "We got a win, we haven't played for five weeks before we lost to Bedford.

"But for us all it's great to get a win under our belt."

Tonks was able to take advantage of some indiscipline in a feisty encounter and slotted three unanswered penalties before half-time.

But had Doncaster been more clinical in the final third of the pitch the Green and Whites could well have conceded two first-half tries.

We're playing all the cusp teams who are looking to get into that top eight for a play-off spot

Glenn Delaney

Only the inability of Knights full-back Steven McColl to find fellow speedster Chris Bries saved Nottingham. Arguably more worrying though for Nottingham fans was the departure of influential scrum-half Tim Usasz from the field with a hamstring injury. It is feared that the United States international could be out of action for more than four weeks.

Nottingham stretched their lead 11 minutes into the second period when Tonks scored the first try of the game. The full-back pounced on a lose ball after Doncaster lost possession in their own 22 and had an easy 15-metre run to the line.

Number eight Phil Eggleshaw picked up another score in the 62nd minute before Doncaster scrum-half Chris Hallam scampered over for a last-gasp consolation.

But the solid kicking of Tonks ensured it was Nottingham who took the four points.

Two dual-registered Leicester players made appearances for the Green and Whites, with former Nottingham hooker Joe Duffey at his influential best and highly-rated centre Billy Twelvetrees playing at centre.

Nottingham face two more midweek games in the coming months as they attempt to deal with a fixture backlog due to the recent poor weather and director of rugby Glenn Delaney is very conscious of the tough period his side now face.

"It's a hard road for us now because we've got another two midweek games and we're playing all the cusp teams who are looking to get into that top eight for a play-off spot," Delaney said.