BetFred League – 18th June 2023
Workington Town 34 London Skolars 6
Skolars remain bottom of BetFred League 1, losing to Workington, conceded five tries in the second half after having going in level at half-time,
Skolars first attack saw them ruled offside as Jerome Yates went to take a high kick. They were offside again in defence giving Town a good position to start their attack. A knockdown by Alex Deery gave Town a scrum ten metres out and they moved the ball to the left for Jordan Burns to open the scoring.
Skolars forced a goal-line drop-out from an Ethan Wainwright chip and went close when Mal Lloyd-Jones was held-op over the line, but both times Skolars’ sixth tackle kick went dead giving Workington seven tackle sets. Skolars had another chance to attack when they received a penalty just short of half-way, but they failed to find touch. However, the Cumbrians couldn’t take advantage,with a forward pass denying Burns a second try.
Skolars got another chance after another penalty and after earning a scrum close to the line, made two substitutions with one of them, Ellis Roberts, crashing through to score with his first touch.
They stopped winger Sean Sabutey short of the line after he’d taken a high kick, but then gave away two repeat sets giving Town a late chance to attack. Skolars just managed to stop a weaving run by Malik Steele, but after a penalty close to the line in the last minute elected to kick for goal and level the scores at six apiece at the break.
They had another chance to kick for goal five minutes into the second half, they ran it this time and were rewarded, as Ciaran Walker slipped past the defence before converting his own try. They went close again after Yates threw the ball infield as he was about to be bundled into touch, Town pounced on the ball, but as so often lost possession when in a good attacking position.
Workington got another chance to exert pressure after Skolars conceded a penalty for a high shot late in a set, Blain Marwood firing out a pass to put Connor Terrill over.
Skolars felt aggrieved when Jack Ryan was held back after his chargedown without sanction and conceded a penalty themselves. Carl Forber was held up, but Burns was again in the right place to take a loose Town pass and put his side further ahead. They had a try disallowed with Marwood fractionally offside as he ran onto a Forber grubber.
The visitors forced a goal-line drop-out from which Ethan Wainwright was held-up. The kick on the last saw Sean Sabutey fumbled the ball in-goal but managed to take it on the second attempt in front of the line. Workington again took advantage of Skolars’ indiscretions, With Jordan Thompson touching down after two repeat sets.
Skolars took a short kick-off that failed to go ten metres, but Steele pounced on the loose ball and conceded the penalty. However they couldn’t capitalise and Burns completed his hat-trick just before the final hooter running onto a grubber kick leaving Skolars still winless this season as they faced the long journey home from the Cumbrian coast.
TOWN
1 Jordan Burns
5 Ethan Bickerdike
4 Jason Mossop
3 Earl Hurst
2 Sean Sabutey
6 Ciaran Walker
7 Carl Forber
10 Steve Scholey
15 Fergus Simpson
8 Jordan Thompson
29 Jake Bradley
11 Malik Steele
27 Hanley Dawson
Subs (all used)
14 Blain Marwood
17 Joe Kirkup
28 Connor Terrell
18 Liam McNicholas
Tries: Burns (6,57.79), Walker (45), Terrill (53), Thompson (70)
Goals: Walker 5/7
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Robbie Butterworth
20 Jerome Yates
3 Ethan Wainwright
4 Aaron Small
5 Dan Bristow
6 Jack Ryan
7 Jacob Thomas
8 Sam Webb-Campbell
9 Alex Deery
15 Malakhi Lloyd-Jones
12 Lameck Juma
11 Luciano Bejanidze
13 Matt Ross
Subs (all used)
14 Tommy Porter
19 Todd Peut
18 Ellis Roberts
10 Christian Gale
Tries: Roberts (28)
Goals: Deery 1/1
Sin-bin: Small (75) – dissent
Penalty count: 10-7
Half-time: 24-6
Referee: Bradley Milligan
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 4-6, 6-6; 12-6, 18-6, 24-6, 30-6, 34-6
