Skolars matched Barrow for a large part of a high paced game, but four tries in the last eight minutes put paid to Skolars’ hopes of pulling off a win at Craven Park.

The first half saw honours even at six all. Skolars had gone into an early lead when Mike Worrincy finished off a break by Neil Thorman. A further break by Lamont Bryan saw Skolars keep the ball alive as they tried to find a gap in the defence, but John Paxton was held up just short of the line.

The home side levelled the scores when Liam Campbell dummied his way through the defence. A Dylan Skee kick forced a goal line drop out and both James Anthony and Joe Mbu went close. Liam Harrison put Barrow into the lead four minutes after the restart, but Skolars bounced back with Rob Thomas crashing over from close range with Skee adding his second conversion of the day.

They had to defend their own line, dragging Ryan Shaw into touch in goal, and had a chance to take the lead through a penalty. But they ran the ball rather than kicking for goal and just failed to score a try with Dave Williams being held up over the tryline.

They may have rued that opportunity when James Finch scored on the left for the Cumbrians, who then moved up a gear. Campbell’s second try was a carbon copy of the first, as he danced untouched through the defence. From the next set Andy Ballard broke through from half way to score down the left and Dan Toal added Barrow’s fifth try three minutes later. Skolars needed to score to get a bonus point, but Barrow went top of the league as Ruairi McGoff scored an easy try in the last minute, Ryan Shaw slotting over his sixth conversion of the afternoon.

BARROW

1 Andy Ballard

2 Mike Backhouse

3 Chris Larkin

4 Ryan Shaw

5 Lee Haney

6 Scott Kaighan

7 Liam Campbell

8 Andy Bracek

9 Liam Finch

10 Ruari McGoff

11 Liam Harrison

12 James Gordon

13 Dan Toal

 

Subs (all used)

14 James Dandy

15 James Finch

16 Jamie Butler

17 Andrew Dawson

 

Tries: Campbell (25,72), Harrison (44), J Finch (67), Ballard (74), Toal (77), McGoff (80)

Goals: Shaw 7/7

 

LONDON SKOLARS

1 James Anthony

2 John Paxton

3 Joe Price

4 Dave Arnot

5 Ade Adebisi

6 Neil Thorman

7 Dylan Skee

8 Olly Purslow

9 Martyn Smith

10 David Williams

11 Brad Hopkins

12 Mike Worrincy

13 Lamont Bryan

 

Subs (all used)

14 Rob Thomas

15 Oliver Bloom

16 Alex Bate

17 Joe Mbu

 

Tries: Worrincy (7), R Thomas (49)

Goals: Skee 2/2

 

Penalty count: 8-10

 

Half-time: 6-6

Referee: Joe Cobb

Attendance: 1,159

 

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 12-12, 18-12, 24-12, 30-12, 36-12, 42-12

 

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