London Skolars closed the gap on the play-off spots to three points with a game in hand with a narrow victory over South Wales. Both sides scored six tries, but it was the accuracy of Dylan Skee’s kicking which proved decisive with six conversions from six attempts.

Skolars opened the scoring after just two minutes through Andy McLean after forcing an error from the home side, but a Skolars’ error led to Kevin James’ try for the Welsh. Skolars then put on some sustained pressure and Will Colleran found a gap in the defence to score in his first game in two months.

But three tries in ten minutes saw South Wales take a ten point lead. Tom Morgan broke through in the centre to score before Steve Parry followed up his chip kick to touchdown. Skolars had a good chance at the other end when Skee was in support to a Neil Thorman break, but the final pass was intercepted by the Welsh and Parry added his second try a minute later.

Skee made amends just before half-time when he touched down under the posts after a James Anthony break. That kept Skolars in contention and they took the lead two minutes into the second half when Joe Price capitalised on an error from a Skee bomb.

However, after tries for Joe Burke and Nathan Mossop, Scorpions might have been hopeful of revenge from the 8 point defeat earlier in the season at The Gnoll. However, Skolars gained a scrum straight from the kick-off and Skee dived for the line, sliding over in the damp conditions. His conversion narrowed the gap to two points.

Skolars had a couple of chances to level the score through penalties, but elected to tap and aim for a try. That decision paid off when Andy McLean found a gap on the left. They then had to defend for a large part of the last 15 minutes of the game, but held out for a win which puts them three points away from the play-off spots with a game in hand.

SOUTH WALES

8 David James

25 Kevin James

18 Ben Gilbert

3 Tom Morgan

9 Dalton Grant

5 Loz Wildbore

1 Steve Parry

15 James Greenwood

19 Nathan Mossop

10 Greg Burke

22 Chris Vitalini

11 Ashley Bateman

16 Joe Burke

 

Subs (all used)

13 Shaun Owens

5 Neil Dallimore

23 Alan Pope

6 Keiron Harrison

Tries: K James (5), Morgan (17), Parry (21, 27), Burke (54)

Goals: Wildbore 4/6

 

LONDON SKOLARS

1 James Anthony

2 John Paxton

3 Joe Price

4 Will Colleran

5 Ade Adebisi

6 Andy McLean

7 Dylan Skee

8 Olsi Krasniqi

9 Neil Thorman

10 David Williams

11 Brad Hopkins

12 Mike Worrincy

13 Lamont Bryan

 

Subs (all used)

14 Michael Sykes

15 Martyn Smith

16 Matt Thomas

17 Louis Robinson

 

Tries: McLean (2,63), Colleran (10), Skee (38,56), Price (42),

Goals: Skee 6/6

 

Penalty count: 10-9

 

Half-time: 22-18

Referee: warren Turley

 

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12, 10-12, 16-12, 22-12, 22-18, 22-24, 26-24, 32-24, 32-30, 32-36

---