Skolars’ coach Jermaine Coleman used their second pre-season friendly to try out a number of new signings, trialists and youngsters who have stepped up to the first team squad this season. They found it tough going against a Broncos’ side, which was predominantly their reserve side, with the addition of several first team squad players. Coleman reflected on the challenges ahead. “We’ve only had seven full training sessions together and we still have plenty to work on. We’ve got a lot of new boys in the squad who got a lot of game time today and we did start to look more cohesive towards the end of the game. We need to focus on contact and the wrestle in defence”.
One of those Broncos’ first teamers was Ollie Ashall-Bolt, recently signed from Widnes Vikings, who made an impression early on, taking a high ball under pressure before weaving past the on-coming defence. That put his side on the front foot and he was in support to slip through a gap to open the scoring, Rob Oakley adding the conversion from the touchline. Ashall-Bott was involved in the next attack, but the final pass to Jonah Verala was forward.
The visitors scored their second when Sam Davis pushed his way over the line after Dan Norman had brushed away two defenders to leave Skolars’ line exposed. There was bad news for Broncos midway through the hald when Ashall-Bott’s run from deep was stopped by a heavy tackle and he a suffered a hamstring tweak.
Skolars’ did enjoy one moment in attack, but Josh Hodson dislodged the ball from Max Clarke’s clutches with the line in sight. Broncos counterattacked and Lawrence Haywood race round the outside for their third try. Two minutes later, Guy Armitage took some stopping on the left with Jordan Williams scoring against his old club. The home side scored their solitary try just before half-time with Shay North’s cut-out pass finding Jerome Yates, but Mike Bishay’s conversion hit the crossbar.
The second half saw Skolars twice get a hand to a Broncos’ pass to deny early tries. Both sides started to make more errors and it wasn’t until just before the hour mark that Broncos extended their lead when Morgan Smith’s grubber kick came off the post with Oli Leyland following up to score under the posts.
Another strong run by Armitage again put Skolars on the back foot and Hodson’s looping pass gave Haywood his second try. Armitage, who scored three tries for Skolars on his one dual registration game last season, finally scored himself, powering over after a Davis break.The last five minutes saw Skolars force two goal-line drop-outs, but Broncos defence held them out.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Iliess Macani
5 Charles Hammond
3 Kai Pearce-Paul
4 Max Clarke
2 Jerome Yates
14 Richard Wilkinson
7 Jacob Thomas
22 Judd Greenhalgh
9 Neil Thorman
10 Matt Ross
11 James Mason
19 Michael Greenhalgh
13 Mike Bishay
Subs (all used)
21 Josh Spearing
24 Abevia McDonald
16 Cariern Clement-Pascall
17 Shay North
18 Tommy Chipchase
15 Ryan Cane
20 Leighton Ball
8 Malakhi Lloyd-Jones
23 Michael Sykes
12 Costa Charalambous
25 Iestyn Withers
Tries: Yates (40)
Goals: Bishay 0/1
BRONCOS
1 Ollie Ashall-Bott
2 Alfie Edwards
3 Guy Armitage
3 Josh Hodson
5 Jonah Verala
6 Oliver Leyland
7 Morgan Smith
8 Dan Norman
9 Sam Davis
10 Christian Gale
11 Jordan Williams
12 Jacob Jones
13 Rob Oakley
Subs (all used)
14 Lawrence Haywood
15 Delaine Bedward
16 Adam Green
17 Williams Blakemore
18 Jay White
19 Chris Ball
Tries: Ashall-Bott (5), Davis (11), Haywood (27,63), Williams (29), Leyland (59), Armitage (73)
Goals: Oakley 4/4 Haywood 2/3
Penalty count: 6-5
Half-time: 4-22
Referee: Matt Rossleigh
Attendance: 304
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-22, 4-22; 4-28, 4-34, 4-40
