Dobcaster had gone off like a rocket; a half hour hat-trick from Cockayne the result of some superb set-piece football - and with half-time looming Hornets needed to extract the digit if they were to get anything out of the game.

What they did extract was Phil Cantillon from the bench - and the game was transformed. His scooting, sniping runs immediately started driving the Dragons backwards and on 34 minutes, the vociferous Hornets following had something to cheer: Dave Alstead rounding defenders to score, McCully tagging on the extras.

Then, three minutes later, Cantillon feigned left, sucking in defenders; he shipped the ball right to Gareth Price who unleashed a fantastic 30 metre cut-out pass for McCully to hit at pace and score.

From nowhere, Hornets were back in the game at 20-11. Doncaster looked out on their feet, given respite by the hooter.

The second half was a complete contrast. Within two minutes a huge break through the heart of the Dragons defence by Andy Gorski set up McConnell for a great try. McCully converted; Hornets within three points.

On their next posession in the Doncaster half, Hornets shipped the ball to new winger Nicky Royle and he showed amazing strength and pace to blast through tacklers and sprint in to score from 40 metres and give Hornets the lead. McCully's conversion took Hornets three points clear.

Doncaster looked shell-shocked and, in a desperate attempt to stem the tide, made a quadruple substitution to return to their starting line-up. And it worked a treat as, after 52 minutes, Phil Cantillon took a neat pass at pace to crash through several defenders and out-pace the cover for a great individual try.

McCully converted, then added a penalty for gross stupidity conceded by waddling Dons prop Hadford. Hornets 31-20 up and Doncaster a busted flush.

More neat hands on the hour put Alstead into space and he made a mockery of the Dragons defence - gliding between static tacklers to take Hornets 35-20 out.

All the talk before the game was of Doncaster's somewhat dubious signing of two Widnes players and, as lippy midget Hulse faded from the game, Fa'alogo did briefly feign involvement to score a try wide-out. Fa'alogo was involved again five minutes later - seemingly dropping the ball in a tackle close to the Hornets line; Cook lunging in more in hope than expectation; referee Dawber listening to the voices in his head gave the try.

30 -35 and Doncaster back in the chase. But Hornets had other ideas. With the Hornets pack driving the tiring Dragons six back down field; and Cantillon teasing and torturing their shattered defence at every opportunity, Hornets set up good field position.

The ball was, again, worked to Alstead who shrugged off three defenders to score. McCully converted and Hornets 35-41 clear.

Try as he might, referee Dawber couldn't get Doncaster back in the game - a series of late penalties taking them upfield - and when Cantillon was judged to have come out of the defensive line too quickly, he was sin-binned. Hornets left defending their own line a man short held out. And their response?

Hornets took the ball back downfield and, with a man short, worked an overlap on the left for Chris Campbell to squeeze in at the corner. Terrific stuff.

As the Doncaster fans headed for the exits, the Hornets faithful sang themselves hoarse - and with good cause.

Given the unwatchable nature of the first half hour, the transformation was quite unbelievable. Without doubt, the catalyst thhat sparked Hornets into life was the introduction of Phil Cantillon. His momentum, go-forward and leadership turned a rudderless Hornets into the lean, mean try scoring machine that we know lurks in there somewhere.

Certainly, picking up the pace of this game not only took it beyond the reach of the Dragons, but also made Hornets look far more relaxed and prepared to move the ball with purpose. And if Phil's back with us for the run-in, it should be pretty interesting.

With our place in the playoffs now secure, Hornets can focus on chasing down Halifax. And if, as Bobbie says, we have no problem motivating ourselves for the big games, the next few weeks should be worth waiting for.