BetFred League 1 – 21st August 2021
London Skolars 14 Keighley Cougars 34
Skolars’ losing run continued in another game where they led only to concede tries late in the first half.
The visitors got off to a good start with Kyle Kesik kicking a 20-40, the first instance at New River, since the rule introduction at the start of the season. From the resultant set for Keighley, Jack Miller’s pass opened up the defence for Aaron Levy to touchdown to open the scoring, with Millers’ conversion hitting the posts.
Skolars responded in similar fashion, this time Neil Thorman succeeding with a 40-20 kick before they moved the ball to the left for Jerome Yates to cross the line in the cormer.They moved further ahead thanks to two Neil Thorman penalties.
Howeve,after on-loan Jacob Ogden was sin-binned yellow-carded for a late hit on Kyle Kesik, Cougars attacks gained momentum. With the defence stretched Abevia McDonald fumbled the ball from a kick intp the in-goal area, Matt Bailey getting to the ball a fraction of a second before Levy, Millers’ conversion levelling the scores.
Two more tries from Kesik kicks late in the first half turned the game completely the visitors’ way. First Jack Arnold ran onto a chip into the ingoal, then Taylor Prell leapt to take a high ball on the right just before the hooter.
Kesik forced another error from a kick early in the second half and with possession deep into Skolars’ territory, Ryan Wright burrowed through the defence to touchdown close to the posts, He made a good break soon after, but his pass landed straight in the hands of Paulos Latu.
Skolars struggled to break the defence and the Cougars’ extended their lead when they switched the ball to the blind side, creating an overlap for Taylor Prell to go over on the right. Skolars scored late consolation try when Paulos Latu was finally rewarded for a series of strong runs when he found a gap in the defence on the line to score.
When Mike Greenhalgh reacted to a high tackle late in the game, a melee ensued and he received a yellow card after the final hooter was sounded, whilst Skolars received a penalty for the original offence.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Jonah Varela
5 Jerome Yates
3 Aaron Small
19 Paulos Latu
2 Abervia McDonald
6 Iliess Macani
7 Neil Thorman
10 Mike Greenhalgh
14 Louis Singleton
15 Jordan Williams
11 Jacob Ogden
24 Chris Ball
13 Adam Vrahos
Subs
21 Judd Greenhalgh
18 Matt Ross
9 Tom Firth
20 Christian Gale
Tries: Yates (10). Latu (75)
Goals: Thorman 3/4
Sin-bin: Ogden (29) – late tackle, M Greenhalgh (80) – fighting
COUGARS
33 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
5 Robert Matamosi
4 Taylor Prell
31 Charlie Graham
34 Josh Slingsby
9 Kyle Kesik
7 Jack Miller
8 Jack Coventry
36 James Feather
20 Brenden Santi
12 Dan Parker
13 Aaron Levy
19 Billy Gaylor
Subs (all used)
1 Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e (not used)
14 Ryan Wright
23 Matt Bailey
27 Jack Arnold
Tries: Levy (6), Bailey (30), Arnold (38), Prell (40,65), Wright (44)
Goals: Miller 5/6
Penalty count: 5-4
Half-time: 14-24
Referee: Liam Bland
Att: 228
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 8-6, 10-6, 10-10, 10-16, 10-22; 10-28, 10-34, 14-34
