Skolars won their first home game for 13 months and did so in style scoring 8 tries to defeat Oxford.
On a sweltering afternoon, it was Skolars that best coped with the condition from the start. Player coach Jermaine Coleman controlled play and created the first try, slipping the ball to Kazeem Faturoti and the second rower eased his way past the defence.
Faturoti went close again soon afterwards, and with the defensive line under pressure, David Williams used his height and power to touchdown. He scored a second four minutes later after the Oxford defence had to defend tow sets, after James Antony kick with backspin had forced a goal line drop out.
Chris Bishay came into the attacking line to create an overlap on the right and Matt Cook took advantage to side step inside to score Skolar’ fourth try.
Three minutes later they were out of side with Billy Driver scooting from dummy hallf from 20 metres out. With Billy Driver making regular scoots from dummy half and Lamont Bryan gaining yards every time he got the ball, it was tough for Oxford to make any inroads. For the second time in consecutive games Skolars’ defence had been unbroken in the first half.
The second half was closer with both sides making more mistakes in the energy sapping heat. Oxford had two early chances to get on the scoreboard. Mignacca was held up over the line and then Andy Speake lost the ball just short of the line thanks to a tackle by Coleman and Faturoti.
Mike Bishay looked to relieve the pressure with an attempted 40-20 kick. Oxford got to the ball but took the ball into touch as they got there, so Skolars won the scrum in any case. Quick hands from Mike Benson saw John Paxton go close in the corner, but the defence striuggled to regroup and Will Lovell touched down with Matt Cook’s conversion hitting the posts.
Oxford finally got their first points just before the hour make with a good run on the left side by Josh Nathaniel. When Andy Speake opened up a gap for Danny Thomas to go over, with Louis Richards adding his second conversion, there was the slimmest of chances for the visitors.
However, Skolars were able to control proceedings thereafter. Dave Williams was stopped inches short, preventing his hat-trick, but a rampaging run from Lamont Bryan was continued by Mike Bishay, who added his fourth conversion of the day.
With the hooter about to sound, the Londoners rounded off the day with John Paxton going over in the corner to the delight of the long-suffering faithful fans.
London Skolars
1 Chris Bishay
2 Sam Nash
3 Matt Cook
4 Joe Price
5 John Paxton
6 James Anthony
7 Jermaine Coleman
21 Will Martin
9 Mike Bishay
10 David Williams
11 Kazeem Faturoti
12 Will Lovell
13 Lamont Bryan
Subs (all used)
14 Louis Robinson
15 Billy Driver
16 Anthony Cox
17 Mike Benson
Tries: Faturoti (8), Williams (16,20), Cook (26), Driver (29), Lovell (55), M Bishay (73), Paxton (80)
Goals: M Bishay 5/6, Cook 1/2
Oxford
36 Danny Thomas
32 Andy Matthews
14 Marcus Brooker
28 Josh Nathaniel
21 Luke Gardiner
1 Louis Richards
7 Andy Speake
27 Bobby Tyson-Wilson
20 Dean Mignacca
8 Jordan Andrade
18 Lee Land
3 Andrew Hoggins
37 Adam Withington
Subs (all used)
19 Kyle Danns
5 Aaron Jones-Bishop
25 Luke Evans
31 Charlie Greene
Tries: Nathaniel (59), Thomas 965)
Goals:
Scoring Sequence: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0, 28-0, 32-0, 32-6, 32-12, 38-12, 42-12
Penalty count:11-6
Half-time: 28-0
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 340
