Betfred League1 – 19 April 2019
Coventry Bears 28 London Skolars 30
Skolars won their Good Friday game in dramatic fashion, Neil Thorman’s conversion going over after hitting the post with less than a minute remaining to take Skolars up to third place in the league.
They had got off to the best possible start, forcing an error from the kick-off to earn a scrum 20 metres from the Coventry line. They moved the ball out to the left with Joe Brown joining the attacking line to open the scoring in the first minute. Coventry’s Nick Newman was penalised for a double movement when he tried to get the ball over the tryline at the other end, but it wasn’t long before Skolars went further ahead, when Jordan Williams chased a kick into the Bears’ in-goal area.
Skolars gave away possession with worrying regularity, conceding seven penalties in the first half, along with some loose passing to give Coventry the opportunity to comeback. First Toby Richardson barged over from close range, then Sam Davis slipped past the defence with Newman converting both tries to leave the scores level at 12 apiece at half-time.
The visitors regained the lead when Brown again came into the attacking line on the left, this time creating an overlap for Iliess Macani to touchdown in the corner. Neil Thorman missed the conversion, but added a penalty goal four minutes later. Williams scored his second try of the afternoon when he raced through a gap on the right side. Thorman’s conversion re-established a twelve point lead, but Coventry came back again to level the scores.
After Nathan Conroy was held-up over the line, Elliot Hall dodged the defence to score. He scored again against his former side six minutes later after a strong run down the left by Jacob Jones. Coventry raised their game and a kick to the left wing saw Hayden Freeman ground the ball in the corner. Newman missed a difficult conversion, leaving the Bears four points ahead with less than five minutes remaining.
A long pass from Thorman opened a gap down the left for Skolars and Lameck Juma sprinted for the line to level the scores once more. Then came Thorman’s decisive conversion and when Skolars won possession from the short restart they just had to survive three tackles before the hooter sounded.
COVENTRY BEARS
1 Elliot Hall
2 Hayden Freeman
3 Kadeem Williams
4 Kam Pearce-Paul
5 Errol Carter
6 Mitch Shaw
7 Nick Newman
8 Peter Ryan
9 Nathan Conroy
10 Lewis Taylor
11 Jacob Jones
12 Chris Barratt
13 Kieran Sherratt
Subs (all used)
14 Sam Davis
15 Toby Richardson
16 Harry Kaufman
17 Cameron Stewart
Tries: Richardson (24), Davis (38), Hall (65,71), Freeman (75)
Goals: Newman 4/5
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Joe Brown
2 Iliess Macani
4 Omari Caro
3 Craig Mullen
5 Lameck Juma
6 James Barran
14 Richard Wilkinson
10 Malikhi Lloyd-Jones
9 Neil Thorman
10 Matt Ross
11 Jordan Williams
12 Lamont Bryan
7 Mike Bishay
Subs (all used)
16 Jon Magrin
13 Liam Scott
16 Rinaldo Palumbo
17 Robert Tuilatu
Tries: Brown (1), Williams (14,61), Macani (54), Juma (92)
Goals: Thorman 5/6
Penalty count: 12-5
Half-time: 12-12
Referee: Tom Crashley
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 12-12, 12-16, 12-18, 12-24, 18-24, 24-24, 28-24, 28-30
