A 12 try performance saw London Skolars record their biggest ever away win in the pro era, with a 16-64 win against Gateshead Thunder at Filtrona Park, South Shields.
They started in impressive style after Gateshead’s kick-off went straight into touch, advancing upfield for Joe Price to score after just 70 seconds. He scored again three minutes later and then made the final passes for Smokie Junor to score two tries in the corner.
In a fast moving game the first scrum occurred in the seventeenth minute, though Thunder’s ability to concede penalties meant Skolars had the vast majority of possession.
Gateshead rallied briefly with converted Paul Stamp try, but Skolars continued their dominance when Neil Thorman finished off a James Anthony break to score against his old club. Junor completed his hat-trick before half-time and the net set of six saw Brad Hopkins cut inside to scythe through the defence and put Skolars 6-38 up at half-time.
Anthony came into the line to create an overlap for Price to complete his hat-trick soon after the start. Dylan Skee found a gap for Andy McLean to burst through, before Olly O’Mara scored Gateshead’s second try. Matt Thomas’ try pushed the visitors past the half-century and Dave Williams’ ball steal allowed Hopkins to score his second try. A James Anthony break set up Dylan Skee to add a try to his eight conversions for a 20 point haul, though Gateshead scored the final try through former Skolar Joe Brown.
The 64 points away from home beat the record of 50 scored in both the Northern Rail Cup win against Sheffield Eagles in 2008 and in the win at Hunslet later in the season. The margin of 48 beat the previous best away from home, recorded in the 8-41 league win at Dewsbury in 2004. Joe Brown’s late try denied one record – the largest winning margin remains at 50 – established earlier this year in the 66-16 home win against North Wales Crusaders.
It’s the first time two players have scored hat-tricks in the same game against league opposition, Austen Aggrey and Frank Reid did so against St Albans Centurions in the Northern Rail Cup in 2006.
GATESHEAD THUNDER
1 Connor Condron
2 Ash Thackeray
3 Josh Neilson
4 Joe Brown
5 Shane Ackerley
6 Ryan Steen
7 Gavin Beasley
8 Stephen Walton
9 Paul Stamp
10 Ryan McBride
11 Jason Payne
12 David Cash
13 Matt Barron
Subs (all used)
14 Tom Hodgson
15 Sam Walsh
16 Olly O’Mara
17 Tabuanitaga Cackcaka Fou
Tries: Stamp (24), O’Mara (61), Brown (78)
Goals: Beasley 1/1, Stamp 1/2
LONDON SKOLARS
1 James Anthony
2 John Paxton
3 Joe Price
4 Will Colleran
5 Smokie Junor
6 Andy McLean
7 Dylan Skee
8 Rob Thomas
9 Neil Thorman
10 David Williams
11 Brad Hopkins
12 Matt Thomas
13 Lamont Bryan
Subs (all used)
14 Michael Sykes
15 Olly Purslow
16 Martyn Smith
17 James Roche
Tries: Price (2,5,45), Junor (10,19,33), Thorman (29), Hopkins (36,70), McLean (58), M Thomas (65), Skee (75)
Goals: Skee 8/12
Penalty count: 4-8
Half-time: 6-38
Referee: Tom Crashley
ORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-22, 6-22, 6-28, 6-32, 6-38, 6-42, 6-48, 12-48, 12-54, 12-60,12-64, 16-64
