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Bienek won't be available for another 3-4 weeks - torn hamstring following the 70m run from the kick off against Bradford

12th July: Keiran Cross thinks we'll make the top five: https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/doncaster-rlfc-i-definitely-think-we-ll-make-the-top-five-kieran-cross-1-9247785

12th July: Keiran Cross thinks we'll make the top five: https://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/doncaster-rlfc-i-definitely-think-we-ll-make-the-top-five-kieran-cross-1-9247785

All remaining 10 games are winnable.
If we were any good we would win the lot barring injury additions.

But we usually lose at Hunslet and Whitehaven... so some work to do.

All to no avail no doubt ... but I would be saying to my players 'look York are a damn good side who deserve to get promoted, so let's nick it off 'em and really p/ss them of!!!'

Sunday 15th July:

This weekend's results:

The Dons beat W Wales. After I wrote Keighley’s chances off last week they won at home to Oldham 15-8. That is a good result for the Dons. Hunslet lost 36-16 at home to Bradford as expected. Workington lost 22-24 at home to Whitehaven. This is also potentially a good result for us as the third placed side is only two points ahead of us. York scraped home 22-20 at London Skolars. Newcastle’s chances have been seriously hampered by their 20-24 home defeat to N Wales.

With nine games left to go, the top five race looks as though it’s going to be tense right up to the last round of games.

League Table:

1. Bradford 17 16 0 1 765:189 32
2. York City 17 15 0 2 708:228 30
3. Oldham 17 11 0 6 606:203 22
4. Workington 17 11 0 6 547:325 22
5. Whitehaven 17 11 0 6 514:339 22
6. Hunslet 17 11 0 6 479:372 22
7. Doncaster 17 10 0 7 625:364 20
8. Keighley 17 10 0 7 615:401 20
9. Newcastle 17 8 0 9 490:362 16
10. Crusaders 17 6 1 10 375:424 13
11. London Skolars 17 4 1 12 444:573 9
12. Coventry 16 3 0 13 206:738 6
13. Hemel 17 1 0 16 204:824 2
14. West Wales 16 0 0 16 106:1342 0

Next week’s fixtures:

Coventry v Keighley (I would expect a Keighley win), W Wales v Worky (Should be plain sailing for Worky), Bradford v York (York could come back to the pack a little bit if they lose), Newcastle v Hemel (Newcastle should get back to winning ways), Whitehaven v London (Should be a home win), Oldham v N Wales (Oldham might not have it all their own way. An away win would suit us), Hunslet v Dons (the first of two vital games for the Dons).

If we lose we’ll probably be four points adrift of the top five with eight games left.

The fixtures for the following weekend:

London v Bradford, Hemel v W Wales, York v Coventry, Dons v Oldham, Keighley v Hunslet, Whitehaven v Newcastle, N Wales v Worky.

I’m away on holiday for week from Monday 16th July so I’ll miss the Hunslet game. I really hope we can get our own back on them!

Keighley have lost today at Coventry 30 - 20, well done to the Bears.

Workiington's result against West Wales is an interesting one too!

York rumoured to be signing ex NRL player Joel Edwards to add to the 2 players they have signed from Leeds. Looks like their further strengthening before the play offs.

I think we need to get a couple of forwards in. It’s ok Carl saying we have 10 Hull lads we can pick from on duel reg but the problem is most of them are playing for Hull at the minute.

We need forwards ... and the couple they lent got injured.
If we don't go up that is why ... lack of beef up front.

Monday 23rd July:

I'm now back from my holiday. I was very pleasantly surprised to see the Dons win at Hunslet last Sunday.

The current league table standings are as follows with 8 games left:

1. Bradford 18 16 0 2 793:219 32
2. York City 18 16 0 2 738:256 32
3. Oldham 18 12 0 6 656:209 24
4. Workington 18 12 0 6 593:331 24
5. Whitehaven 18 12 0 6 542:357 24
6. Doncaster 18 11 0 7 655:378 22
7. Hunslet 18 11 0 7 493:402 22
8. Keighley 18 10 0 8 635:431 20
9. Newcastle 18 9 0 9 532:376 18
10. Crusaders 18 6 1 11 381:474 13
11. London Skolars 18 4 1 13 462:601 9
12. Coventry 17 4 0 13 236:758 8
13. Hemel 18 1 0 17 218:866 2
14. West Wales 17 0 0 17 112:1388 0

I've listed below the next four games for each of the promotion contenders with my best guesses as to who will win, totalling up the expected points, and shown the possible table after 22 games:

Bradford: London (A) WIN, Haven (H) WIN, N Wales (A) WIN, Worky (H) WIN; 8 Points
York: Coventry (H) WIN, N Wales (H) WIN, W Wales (A) WIN, Hunslet (H) WIN; 8 Points

It's hard to see either of these teams dropping points but Bradford have two trickier home games against the Cumbrain sides. York have a potentially tricky home game against Hunslet.

Oldham: Dons (A) Lose, Hemel (A) WIN, Haven (H) WIN, Newcastle (A) WIN; 6 Points

I'm siding with a Dons win next Sunday against Oldham. Oldham should be favourites to beat Whitehaven at home but may have to fight for a win at Newcastle. I see them getting 6 points out of their next 8.

Worky: N Wales (A) WIN, Keighley (H) WIN, Coventry (H) WIN, Bradford (A) Lose; 6 points. Worky's only loss should be at Bradford. I expect Keighley to fade over the next few games.

Whitehaven: Newcastle (H) WIN, Bradford (A) Lose, Oldham (A) Lose, Dons (H) WIN; 4 points. I fear that Whitehaven may beat the Dons but I can see Haven losing to Bradford and Oldham. They've got a long injury list at the moment and that could play a part too. Their injury situation could play a major part in the match against the Dons.

Dons: Oldham (H) WIN, Coventry (A) WIN, London (A) WIN, Haven (A) Lose; 6 points. We were poor when we lost at Oldham. I feel quietly confident about this weeken'd game. Realistically, we must get at least 6 points out of the next 8. If we lose on Sunday, it cranks the pressure up on needing to win at Whitehaven. Maybe we shouldn't take Coventry and London for granted (especially London) but they're games we simply can't afford to lose.

Hunslet: Keighley (A) WIN, W Wales (A) WIN, Hemel (H) WIN, York (A) Lose; 6 points. It would certainly be better for the Dons if Hunslet lost at Keighley but I think Mr Thornton's men will grab the points. With a loss at York, I can see them getting 6 points out of the next 8.

Keighley: Hunslet (H) Lose, Worky (A) Lose, Newcastle (H) WIN, London (A) WIN; 4 points. I wrote Keighley off in my write up a couple of weeks ago before they went on to beat Oldham at home. A loss at Coventry last weekend perhaps suggests where they're really at after the losing several key players recently. They might not even beat Newcastle and London as I've assumed. I can't see then challenging now.

Newcastle: Haven (A) Lose, London (H) WIN, Keighley (A) Lose, Oldham (H) Lose; 2 points. Newcastle are the team who can't really afford to drop any more points as they're behind the rest already. To stay in the race they would need to get at least 6 points from their next four games. I may have slightly under-estimated them but I can't see them being realistic top five candidates.

Projected table after 22 games:

Bradford 40
York 40
Oldham 30
Worky 30
Whitehaven 28
Dons 28
Hunslet 28
Keighley 24
Newcastle 20

With the way the fixtures have fallen, it doesn't look as though all that much will change over the next four games although I expect to see Keighley and Newcastle drop down the pecking order. The best the Dons can get is 30 points if they beat Oldham and Whitehaven (as well as winning the two 'easier' games. The worst we should do after 22 games is 26 points.

I'll include the fixture details for the last four matches after the Oldham game has been played.

I believe that one of the teams in the race for places 3 to 5 will go on a roll and so there will be only 2 places up for grabs for the others.
But I also believe that the side going on the roll will be the Dons.
Thanks to Matty Beharrell.
And Jez Litten if we can keep him.