Skolars fell to their worst ever home defeat as they crashed out of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup to a vastly superior Swinton side who recorded 15 tries.
Skolars’ preparations weren’t helped by a late change to the side with Olly Bloom replacing Michael Sykes for his first game in two seasons. Anthony Cox went off with blood poring from a wound and more re-organisation was required when Louis Robinson took a knock and was stretchered off the pitch. But the Swinton side were able to cut apart the defence with alarming regularity.
Jimmy Rowlands started the rout by finishing off a break by Connor Dwyer. He then set up Ritchie Hawkyard’s try and from the next set of six Andy Ackers eased through the defence for Ben White to score. Full-back Chirs Atkin joined the attacking line to score before a break down the wing by Shaun Robinson saw Stuart Littler score on the right. At mid-point of the half Swinton had racked up 36 points.
After two tries for Rhodri Lloyd in two minutes, Skolars stemmed the flow of tries for a short while. James Anthony put a fine try saving tackle on Shaun Robinson, and when London finally mounted an attack Will Lovell cut through to score under the posts, though Vince Spurr’s conversion hit the cross bar.
Swinton scored again before the break Chris Rothwell walked through the Skolars’ line after receiving the ball from a scrum. The second half continued in the same vein. Aaron Lloyd’s break put Rob Lever through before Rothwell set up Rowland’s second try. An Intercept from Vince Spurr gave some respite and there was a full eleven minutes before Swinton were to score again. Rowlands slipping the ball inside to White. White went through a hole in the defence on half-way, before off-loading for Atkin’s second try. He also finished with 13 goals for a 34 point haul, setting both records for the most goal and most points in a match for the Lions.
Rowlands was again instrumental as Connor Dwyer scored out wide. Then came one of the best tries of the day with Dwyer went past the Skolars’ line in his own half, offloading to Lloyd for the Welshman’s hat-trick. White recorded his hat-trick with the last move of the game, going through the leaking defence untouched.
With last week’s defeat in the iPro Sport Cup, Skolars now have a three week gap before their opening League 1 fixture.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 James Anthony
2 Chris Brown Jnr
3 Kazeem Fatouri-Edwards
4 Aaron Small
5 James Carty
6 Tommy Connick
7 Vince Spurr
13 Louis Robinson
9 Sam Druce
10 David Williams
11 Will Lovell
12 Anthony Cox
13 Will Fairhurst
Subs (all used)
21 Dave Ellison
17 Olly Bloom
15 Danny Burke
16 Mike Benson
Tries: Lovell (35)
Goals: Spurr 0/1
LIONS
7 Chris Atkin
2 Shaun Robinson
3 Stuart Littler
22 Chris Rothwell
1 Ritchie Hawkyard
6 Ben White
16 Jimmy Rowlands
8 Mike Morrison
9 Andy Ackers
24 Jordan James
11 Grant Beecham
29 Rhodri Lloyd
23 Connor Dwyer
Subs (all used)
18 Aaron Lloyd
13 Toomy Gallagher
10 Ben Austen
31 Rob Lever
Tries: Rowlands (10, 47), Hawkyard (12), White (15, 59, 80), Atkin (19, 62), Littler (21), R. Lloyd (30, 32, 73), Rothwell (40), Lever (43), Dwyer (71)
Goals: Atkin 13/15
Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 8-46
Referee: Adam Gill
Attendance: 165
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-30, 0-36, 0-42, 4-46, 4-52, 4-58, 4-64, 4-70, 4-74, 4-80, 4-86
