Skolars won for the first time at Enfield, recording a double for the season over their local rivals in a tight game that saw Hemel race into an early lead only for Skolars to score 28 unanswered points, before the visitors staged a comeback.
After struggling to get away from their own line for five tackles, Courtney Davies then tried the unexpected – a short chip 15 metres from his own line. It didn’t work and Hemel took full advantage with James Cameron going over in the corner. They crossed the line again soon after but James Hill was offside from Jermaine Coleman’s kick. The scrum half pushed Skolars back again with a 40-20 kick and the following set saw Jy-Mel Coleman and Michael Brown held-up before Evan Simons spotted the defence napping and scooted 10 metres to the tryline.
Skolars got their first points when Anthony Cox was on hand to support a Martyn Smith break and score with his first touch of the game. Hemel re-established their 10 point lead when James Hill scored after Skolars lost the ball on the sixth tackle.
With Cox, Ryan McDonald and Louis Robinson all making an impact off the bench, Skolars started to gain more metres in attack. On the last tackle Mufaro Mvududu powered through a gap on the left to score, Davies missing a second conversion and thereafter kicking duties went to Mike Bishay. Soon afterwards Dave Williams made an initial break, John Paxton created a gap for Cox to score his second try.
Williams then went off with a knock to the head in his 100th professional game, but Skolars continued to play the way they haven’t played for several months – with confidence. Mike Bishay put in a deep grubber kick which Hemel thought would go dead. However, Davies got to the ball to score to put Skolars in the lead. On the stroke of half-time, Bishay broke to score in a performance considerably better than his last couple on the dual registration.
Skolars pushed further ahead straight after half-timer when Ryan McDonald forced the ball over the tryline, Bishay adding his third conversion. But Hemel were far from finished, their comeback starting with a try on the right flank for Romaine Navarette. Evan Simons passed the ball out to the right twice for James Hull to go over. Skolars then conceded a goal line drop out, but Bishay took advantage of the strong wind to kick the ball 90 metres.
However, when James Cameron scored his second try in the right corner with 11 minutes remaining, BJ Swindell’s conversion had narrowed the gap to just four points. Three minutes later, Skolars gained a penalty and with Bishay off the field, Davies took back the kicking duties, this time with success.
The game was still in doubt in the last minute, but Skolars’ chase onto a deep Bishay kick to force a drop out showed how determined they were to record their first home win since April.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 John Paxton
32 Iliess Macani
21 Judd Greenhalgh
4 Mufaro Mvududu
34 James Duckworth
6 Courtney Davies
7 Danny Yates
22 Michael Sykes
9 Martyn Smith
20 Tely Pelo
12 Dion Chapman
31 Lamont Bryan
10 David Williams
Subs (all used)
8 Ryan McDonald
13 Louis Robinson
16 Mike Bishay
11 Anthony Cox
Tries: Cox (20,32), Mvududu (28), Davies (36), Bishay (40), McDonald (41)
Goals: Davies 1/3 Bishay 4/4
STAGS
2 James Cameron
17 Jimmy Morgan
4 Michael Brown
3 Matt Cook
5 James Hill
6 Jermaine Coleman
13 Jy-Mel Coleman
25 James Howitt
14 Evan Simons
8 Dominic Maloney
11 BJ Swindells
15 Mike McMeeken
10 Dan Ljazouli
Subs (all used)
18 Matt Tebb
20 Ryan Chester
21 Romain Navarette
12 Cariern Clement-Pascall
Tries: Cameron (5,69), Simons (14), Hill (25,62), Naverette (50)
Goals: Swindells 2/4
Penalty count: 7-6
Half-time: 26-14
Referee: Gareth Hewer
Attendance: 378
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 4-10, 4-14, 8-14, 14-14, 20-14, 26-14, 32-14, 32-18, 32-22, 32-28, 34-28
