Skolars were knocked out of the Northern Rail Cup after conceding 11 tries to a powerful Whitehaven side. However, they will still be playing on finals day, having won their group in the qualifying stages they will play North Wales Crusaders in the Northern Rail Bowl.
They were outmuscled by a big Cumbrian pack that could also call on St Helens second rower Paul Clough on dual registration loan. Two Papua New Guinea internationals opened the scoring for the visitors, Jessie Joe Parker picking up a loose ball to race to the line from halfway for the first and big prop Rodney Pora crashed through for the second.
Skolars had a couple of chances, but Alex Anthony’s pass to John Paxton went forward and James Roche was ruled offside when he crossed the line after following up an Andy McLean kick.
Haven took full control in the later stages of the first half, running in five further tries to go in 0-40 up at half-time, with Chris Fleming scoring a brace.
Skolars showed more resolve in the second half. Dave Williams got over the tryline but couldn’t ground the ball. Cariern Clement-Pascall intercepted to stop a near certain try, but no-one could stop Parker leaping to catch a cross-field kick from former England international Jamie Rooney to score his second try.
Clement-Pascall broke the defence for Joe Price to open Skolars’ scoring, but Parker completed his hat-trick soon afterwards. John Paxton scored in the corner and Clement-Pascall added Skolars’ third try late on, but James Newton’s try just before the hooter meant that the journey back to Cumbria would be a happy one for the visitors.
Skolars’ coach Joe Mbu was left ruing his side’s inability to complete sets in the first half. “We completed four sets to their twelve, with four unforced errors and that meant we had to do too much defensively.”
LONDON SKOLARS
22 Alex Anthony
24 Jimmy Morgan
18 Chris McNamara
3 Joe Price
4 John Paxton
26 Andy McLean
7 Dylan Skee
13 Olly Purslow
21 Evan Simons
30 Michael Sykes
20 Cariern Clement-Pascall
12 Mike Worrincy
19 James Roche
Subs (all used)
10 David Williams
25 Dion Chapman
16 Louis Robinson
27 Mike Bishay
Tries: Price (56), Paxton (64), Clement-Pascall (76)
Goals: Skee 2/3
WHITEHAVEN
1 Neil Thorman
5 Chirs Fleming
15 Brad Crellin
3 Jessie Joe Parker
2 James Cameron
6 Jamie Rooney
7 Cain Southernwood
33 Rodney Pora
14 James Newton
8 Dave Houghton
12 Reece Clark
29 Paul Clough
13 Lee Paterson
Subs (all used)
9 Carl Sice
19 Paul Culnean
28 Jordan Hand
31 Carl Forster
Tries: Parker (13,52,61), Pora (17), Houghton (22), Southernwood (26), Fleming (32,35), Cullnean (40), Forster (70), Newton (79)
Goals: Rooney 9/11
Penalty count: 3-8
Half-time: 0-40
Referee: Joe Cobb
Attendance: 276
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-30, 0-34, 0-40, 0-44, 6-44, 6-50, 10-50, 10-56, 16-56, 16-62
