Co-operative Championship 1
After a spectacular start Skolars had a nightmare first half against Oldham ahead of the busy Easter weekend.
Skolars won a scrum from the kick-off after an Oldham error. Jy-Mel Coleman’s pass found Dave Arnot, who touched down after just 53 seconds, which we believe is Skolars’ fastest ever try. However, the Roughyeds went into the lead 5 minutes later through Mick Diveney and added another when Neil Roden’s kick found Shaun Robinson with space in the corner.
Jy-Mel Coleman was again involved in Skolars’ next try, his kick was fumbled by Oldham and Jason Hart followed up to win the ball. Quick passing found Ade Adebisi on the wing for him to score his 11th try in 11 games.
Then came a disasterous 14 minures spell where Oldham scored six tries, with Skolars rarely gaining possession. Jason Boults opened up the defence from 20 metres out, soon followed by Paul Noone following up a bouncing kick. Lucas Onyango scored down the right hand side, with Neil Roden then scoring his 100th try for Oldham. There was a suspicion of a forward pass in the run-up to Shaun Robinson’s try, but there was no doubt about Mark Brocklebank’s try just before half-time, which put the Roughyeds 42-8 up at half-time.
Things didn’t get better at the start of the second half, with Austen Aggrey losing control of the ball in the tackle as he went for the tryline, the home side moved downfield and Diveney added his second try.
Whilst talk around the professional leagues has been about high penalty counts, it took until the 46th minute for either side to concede a penalty, with referee Chris Leatherbarrow awarding just three apiece in the whole game.
Aggrey missed out again on what would have been his 50th try for the club when he was held up, but soon afterwards Cariern Clement-Pascall went over for his first try for Skolars. Lucas Onyango found a gap on the wing for his second try for Oldham to notch up the half century with Diveney kicking his sixth conversion.
Despite the scoreline Skolars weren’t giving up and a break by Gareth Honor saw Clement-Pascall make a curving run to the line for his second try, before Dylan Skee intercepted an Oldham pass and raced 80 metres to score his first try for the club, Jack Latus kicking his third conversion after Neil Thorman had gone off injured.
OLDHAM
21 Mark Brocklehurst
2 Lucas Onyango
26 Matthew Fogarty
3 Marcus St Hillaire
20 Richard Flooks
27 Shaun Robinson
6 Neil Roden
7 Mick Diveney
8 Jason Boults
17 John Clough
14 Chris Clarke
11 Andy Isherwood
24 Paul Noone
25 Martin Roden
Subs (all used)
28 Luke Stenchion
13 Valu Bentley
9 Danny Whitmore
10 Dave Ellison
Tries: Diveney (6,42), Robinson (11,35), Boults (22), Noone (24), Onyango (27,61), N Roden (31), Brocklebank
Goals: Diveney 6/10
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Neil Thorman
31 Jack Latus
17 Dave Arnot
14 Jason Cook
5 Ade Adebisi
7 Dylan Skee
6 Jy-Mel Coleman
22 Saqib Murtza
9 Gareth Honor
10 Jason Hart
