BetFred League 1 – 26th March 2022
London Skolars 10 Hunslet 28

Skolars lost their opening league game of the season, with a sending-off and a sin-binning in the second half after having enjoyed a half-time lead.

Early pressure saw Jonathan Bell and Leighton Ball both being held up over the line, but it was Hunslet who opened the scoring as Joe Summers raced onto a Jack Render kick. Bell was held up again after a strong run from Jarred Bassett, finally touching down after Skolars had forced a goal-line drop-out.

They extended their lead when Aaron Small intercepted on the 30 metres line, beating the chasing defence to the tryline, with Phil Lyon’s conversion just drifting wide. Hunslet forced a goal-line drop-out from the restart and it was team captain small who ended the attack with his tackle on Aaron Jones-Bishop.

Skolars went in 10-4 up at the break, but the scores were level two minutes into the second half when Hunslet’s scrum-half dummied the defence then pushed his way under the defence before adding a conversion.

The South Leeds side attacked again through Jordan Syme, but they were caught with the ball on the sixth tackle and Skolars had a good chance to use possession. However, Lamont Bryan tried to break down the wing and was bundled into touch 30 metres from his own tryline.

Skolars had to defend again, but when the visitors moved the ball to the left wing, Charles Hammond’s tackle lifted Kiedan Hartley and was adjudged to be dangerous and he received a red card. The side survived the next attack, then chose to go for field position from a penalty rather than kick for goal 45 metres out. That looked to be a good decision as they got within five metres of the tryline, but knocked on.

Full-back Bassett had to concede a goal-line drop-out after a Mallinson chip and Hunslet applied the pressure, moving the ball left for Jason Mossop to put his side into the lead. Worse was to follow as Richard Wilkinson tried to bundle an attacker into touch and he received a yellow card for the tackle. That left Skolars down to eleven players for the next ten minutes. Hunslet took full advantage as David Gibbons eased past the defence two minutes later, with Harvey Whiteley scoring soon afterwards.

LONDON SKOLARS
1 Jarred Bassett
2 Charles Hammond
3 Jerome Yates
4 Aaron Small
5 Leighton Ball
6 Alex Deery
7 Phil Lyon
22 Anthony Cox
9 Jonathan Bell
8 Harry Kaufman
11 Adam Vrahnos
12 Lamont Bryan
13 Liam O’Callaghan

Subs (all used)
19 Aston Stephenson
23 Richard Wilkinson
10 Judd Greenhalgh
21 Mike Greenhalgh

Tries: Bell (20), Small (27)
Goals: Lyon 1/2
Dismissal: Hammond (56) – dangerous tackle
Sin-bin: Wilkinson (67) – dangerous tackle

HUNSLET
1 Jimmy Watson
3 Jack Render
18 Aaron Jones-Bishop
4 Jason Mossop
5 Kiedan Hartley
6 David Gibbons
7Jack Mallinson
20 Rian Rowley
9 Harvey Whiteley
8 Harvey Hallas
11 Josh Jordan-Roberts
12 Joe Summers
13 Jordan Syme

Subs (all used)
14 Cam Berry
15 Ethan O’Hanlon
16 Matt Stableford
21 Dom Horn

Tries: Summers (7), Mallinson (42), Mossop (64), Gibbons (69), Whiteley (74)
Goals: Mallinson 4/5

Penalty count: 6-8

Half-time: 10-28
Referee: Nick Bennett
Att: 287

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 10-4; 10-10, 10-16, 10-22, 10-28