Kingstone Press League 1
York City Knights 28 London Skolars 12
Skolars lost their opening game of the league campaign, but the performance against a side tipped for promotion was a big improvement after the Challenge Cup defeat the previous week.
It was the Knights first league game at the temporary home at Bootham Cresent and they got off to a good start as Kris Brining scooted over from dummy half for the first try. Skolars’ ball handling was still showing some of the weaknesses displayed at Pilks Recs and when they lost the ball and then conceded a penalty, the visitors took advantage with James Marland strolling over on the right wing.
The end of the first half saw Skolars start to exert more of an influence, forcing a drop out, something they did again straight from the restart after half-time, But they couldn’t turn territorial possession into points and Marland went in at the other end for his second try, followed soon afterwards by Brett Turner on the other wing.
Skolars got onto the scoreboard just after the hour mark, when Erjon Dollapi used his power to push through some strong defence on the tryline. York hit back with their next set of possession, opening up a gap on the right side for Brad Hey to race over for their fifth try. When Skolars were penalised for interference on the York winger by Aaron Small as they both went for a high kick, there was surprise when, seconds later, Will Lovell was shown the red card, apparently for disputing the decision. A very late tackle on Jermaine Coleman went unpunished a few minutes later. Mark Applegarth added York’s final try late on, but there was just time for Alex Anthony to swerve through the defence to score for Skolars before the hooter sounded. Charlie Lawrence kicked the conversion and then had to repeat the task, as the first attempt was chalked off by the ref.
KNIGHTS
1 Rob Wilkinson
2 Brett Turner
3 Brad Hey
4 Connor Bowes
5 James Morland
6 Jon Presley
7 Danny Nicklas
8 Brett Waller
9 Kris Brining
10 Jack Aldous
11 Ed Smith
12 Josh Tonks
13 Mike Emmett
Subs (all used)
14 Harry Carter
15 Mark Applegarth
19 Russ Spiers
18 Jordan Crowther
Tries: Brining (10), Morland (29,46), Turner (58), Hey (65), Applegarth (76)
Goals: Nicklas 2/6
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Alex Anthony
2 Sam Nash
3 Aaron Small
4 Joe Price
5 John Paxton
6 Jermaine Coleman
7 Charlie Lawrence
8 Toby Everett
9 Mike Bishay
10 David Williams
11 Mike Worrincy
12 Will Lovell
13 Eddie Mbaraga
Subs (all used)
14 Ben Pointer
15 Jon Magrin
19 Erjon Dollapi
18 Louis Robinson
Tries: Dollapi (62), Anthony (80)
Goals: Lawrence 2/2
Sending off: Lovell (73) – dissent
Penalty count: 8-6
Half-time: 10-0
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
Attendance: 554
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-6, 24-6, 28-6, 28-12
