London Skolars ended a six-game losing streak in Betfred League One with a 20-6 victory at home to Keighley Cougars. Cheered on by their largest home crowd of the season, Skolars put in their best performance of the term to date in their annual ‘Friday Night Lights’ game.

London made a strong start to the game, scoring after five minutes when Neil Thorman put Sam Nash through a gap in the defence on the right, with Mike Bishay finishing off the move.

Two minutes later, Skolars went further ahead when Daymeric Pelo dummied before touching down on the left. Another attack down the right saw Nash score the hosts’ third try and London were only denied by a forward pass when they tried the same move on their next attack.

Omari Caro then got a hand to a pass to the wing and caught the ball on the second attempt, before racing 80 metres to the tryline for another Skolars try.

With heavy rain falling, London regularly kicked deep in the second half, ensuring Cougars had to play much of the game from their own half, whilst running into the wind. Both sides missed chances to score, with Pelo losing control of the ball with the tryline in sight, though at that stage all of the players were struggling to hold onto it.  Playing only his third game of the season, player-coach Jermaine Coleman kicked deep and Caro chased. However, the ball’s path diverted just before the tryline and as he altered his line, Caro collided with the posts, though fortunately avoided serious injury.

The travelling Keighley fans finally had something to cheer about when James Feather slipped past the defence, but a late rib injury to Davey Dixon may have further reduced Craig Lingard’s squad.

Neil Thorman kicked a late penalty to round off a happy evening for his side.

It was a welcome return to winning ways for Skolars, whose previous success had come on June 30 away to West Wales Raiders.

And London will hope to add to that win over Keighley by picking up another success when they vist Hunslet on Sunday.

Report by Andrew Jackson