iPro Sport Cup Quarter Final
Doncaster 12 London Skolars 24

Skolars pulled off the shock of the round with a victory over a side that they’d lost to in each of their previous 14 encounters. The win was all the more impressive considering they conceded a try 34 seconds into the game and lost three players to injury, including player/coach Jermaine Coleman. He praised his side after the game. “I’m proud of the effort and commitment of the lads under adversity. They showed real desire to pull together.”

They couldn’t have made a worse start losing possession in their own 20 metre area, with Liam Welham cutting across the defence from the right before slicing through the defence. Doncaster went close with their next attack, Ben Frankland being held up over the line.

However, Skolars started to bounce back. Sam Druce got over the tryline, but couldn’t ground the ball. Then a Mike Bishay kick to the right allowed Skolars to pressure the defence, who lost control of the ball. Sam Nash picked up the ball to score in the corner, Bishay’s conversion levelling the scores.

Doncaster regained the lead soon afterwards after forcing a goal line drop out. Mason Tonks raced past the defence from 30 metres out to score. Skolars pulled level again from another Bishay kick. This time a grubber ricocheted off a defender’s legs and Dave Williams grounded the ball to score under the posts.

Bishay converted, but then misjudged the Doncaster kick-off and Skolars then had to defend another drop-out. The defence held out and they were able to work their way upfield. Coleman was clattered in a tackle that led to a Mike Bishay penalty which put Skolars 12-14 up. Bishay kept up the pressure with a 40-20 kick, though they couldn’t score again before half-time.

Six minutes into the second half they went furher ahead, Eddie Mbaraga stealing the ball from Doncaster 10 metres from the tryline. His celebrationary dive over the line was a little early in the game, as Skolars still had a lot to do in defence as the Dons tried to comeback. The intensity of the game saw Bishay and Frankland taken from the field with knocks to the head. John Paxton put in a fine cover tackle to force Louis Sheriff into touch.

With just over a minute remaining, Will Lovell attacked down the right flank and then Mbaraga took a pass to crash over the line for his second try and Skolars could start to celebrate, though they will be glad of a weeked off to recover from their knocks.

The semi-final draw saw Skolars drawn at home on 30 April to Keighley Cougars.

Doncaster
1 Reece Dean
2 Louis Sheriff
3 Liam Welham
4 Jason Tali
5 Callum Lancaster
6 Harry Tyson-Wilson
7 Jordie Hedges
32 Makali Aizue
9 Ben Frankland
20 Brad Fash
11 Mason Tonks
12 Mike Kelly
13 Joe Picketts-O’Donnell

Subs (all used)
14 Kieron Cross
25 Jack Walton
10 Mark Castle
18 Mitch Vincent

Tries: Welham (1),Tonks (19)
Goals: Dean 2/2

London Skolars
1 Alex Anthony
2 Sam Nash
3 Aaron Small
4 Joe Price
5 John Paxton
6 Jermaine Coleman
7 Mike Bishay
8 Michael Sykes
9 Sam Druce
11 Toby Everett
10 David Williams
12 Will Lovell
19 Ryan Chester

Subs (all used)
14 Ben Pointer
23 Erjon Dollapi
13 Eddie Mbaraga
17 Ben Gray

Tries: Nash (12), Williams (26)., Mbaraga (48,79)
Goals: Bishay 4/4, Druce 0/1

Penalty count: 9-7

Half-time: 12-14
Referee: Jonathan Roberts
Attendance: 367

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6, 12-12, 12-14, 12-20, 12-24

Credit Rob Terrace for the image