Skolars recorded their first league victory in the league this season with an impressive win against third placed Hornets with scrum half Dylan Skee setting a new club records for points in a game.
Skolars defended well against some sustained attacks, five times stopping a power play in side their 10 metre line in the second half. Coach Joe Mbu was delighted with the victory. “We’ve worked hard all year on goal line defence and it paid off today when we dealt with back to back sets. We stuck in when we made mistakes and backed up with a good defensive effort”.
Those mistakes looked like they would cost Skolars dear early on with two Jy-Mel Coleman passes leading to interceptions. Craig Johnson was brought down from the first but Andy Saywell race 75 metres from the second to score down the left.
However, Skolars took the lead when quick passing from the base of scrum found Ade Adebisi in space and the winger raced 70 metres to score.
Coleman made amends for those interceptions with a penalty kick that took his side from their own 20 metre line to within 15 metres from the Rochdale line, but that position his pass to Lamont Bryan went to ground. Rochdale advanced upfield and a enjoyed a period of possession close to Skolars line after Dylan Skee had tried to steal possession at a play-the-ball. Richard Mervill took advantage to power over with Paul Crook adding the extras.
The lead was shortlived. Lamont Bryan moved into the attacking line to take the ball at pace from 10 metres out to score. Then the Hornets were transfixed as he ran onto Coleman’s grubber kick to score under the posts for a second try in three minutes.
That saw Skolars go into the break with an eight point lead. They might have extended it but trialist Michael Brown was adjudged offside when he took a high ball to release Aaron Small. Scott Yates was adjudged offside at the other end and then he and Steven Roper went close. When Craig Ashall made a looping run to score on the left the gap was just two points and it looked like Hornets would start to take control when an Adam Bowman break saw them get downfield before Roper’s kick saw Yates time his run successfully.
Skolars bounced straight back when they dislodged the ball in the second tackle. Austen Aggrey stormed through to score and Skee’s conversion gave them a narrow lead. Having his best game whilst on loan from Quins, Bryan made a break from half way before a beautifully timed pass for Skee to score his first try. Hornets responded with a kick-off that Dave Arnot just couldn’t stop finding touch, but Skolars defence held out and as the Londoners advanced, a penalty saw Skee add two more points. That meant Hornets having to score twice and they gained possession with another kick-off that bounced out of Arnot’s clutches. Dean Gorton was then bundled into touch.
Skolars made the game safe when Gareth Honor darted under the defence to touchdown with three minutes to go. The game last season saw tempers flare, and whilst this game didn’t see the same needling play, a high tackle from Richard Mervill saw him receive a red card. There was just enough time for Dylan Skee to score his second try, with his eighth successful kick giving him a 24 point haul – breaking the club record for points in a game in the professional era.
Teams & Other Info.
LONDON SKOLARS
3 James Anthony
18 Aaron Small
30 Michael Brown
17 Dave Arnot
5 Ade Adebisi
6 Jy-Mel Coleman
7 Dylan Skee
25 Austen Aggrey
9 Gareth Honor
22 Saqib Murtza
37 Jaroslaw Obuchowski
15 Olly Purslow
35 Lamont Bryan
Subs (all used)
32 Sam Gee
36 John Paxton
34 Michael Sykes
31 Dave Williams
Tries: Adebisi (16), Bryan (31,34), Aggrey (59), Skee (67,80), Honor (77)
Goals: Skee 8/8
HORNETS
5 Scott Yates
2 Craig Johnson
3 Dean Gorton
17 Dale Bloomfield
15 Paul Crook
7 Steven Roper
18 John Cookson
6 Liam McGovern
8 Dave Newton
10 Adam Bowman
13 Dayne Donoghue
11 Craig Ashall
Subs (all used)
32 Danny Ekis
35 Richard Mervill
21 Mark Hobson
Tries: Saywell (10), Mervill (28), Ashall (54), Yates (57)
Goals: Crook 3/4
Sending off: Mervill (79) – high tackle
Penalty count: 6-7
Half-time: 18-10
Referee: Craig Halloran
Attendance: 290
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