London Skolars 22 Rochdale Hornets 56
London Skolars again pushed a more experienced side for a large part of the game, but as in previous weeks fell away towards the end of the game.
They took an early lead when Aaron Small chased his own grubber kick through the defence to regather and touch down.
They might have gone further ahead, but Liam O’Callaghan lost possession close to the line.
Hornets also bombed an early chance when Tom Ashton’s pass to Dan Nixon sailed into touch, but after Skolars conceded two consecutive penalties, Hornets were able to start their attack deep into Skolars’ territory and they swung the ball to the right for Ben Calland to score. They then attacked down the other wing for the next try, with Ashton cutting through as Skolars tried to defend an overlap.
They went further ahead when Gregg McNally finished off a break by Lewis Sheridan and then FuiFui MoiMoi crashed through the defence four minutes later.
Small scored his second try of the game when he brushed off the defence ten metres out to score. Skolars had another chance soon afterwards, but Leighton Ball lost possession having made a break into Hornets’ territory. The visitors took advantage and again moved the ball out to the flanks to create a gap for Ashton’s second try.
As in the first half, Skolars were the first to score when Jarred Bassett came into the attacking line to put pressure on the Hornet’s left flank for Ball to score in the right corner. Will Ramsey kicked to the same corner in their next attacking set, but the ball went dead just before Ball got to it.
Hornets re-asserted their dominance when Gavin Bennion weaved past the defence, coming just after Anthony Cox had put in a big hit on MoiMoi, though the impact was such that he came off soon afterwards.
The restart saw Dan Nixon unaccountably try to take a ball that looked to be going dead, he lost control and conceded a goal-line drop-out. However, Alex Deery’s kick on the next sixth tackle was far too long, a problem that Skolars repeated far too often throughout the game. On this occasion, that gave Rochdale a seven tackle set and they advanced upfield for Ashton to complete his hat-trick.
Skolars refused to give up and were prepared to keep moving the ball around to create a gap, culminating in Ball slipping past the defence in the corner. Hornets won the ball from a short restart and again pushed the ball right for Ben O’Keefe to touchdown. Ben Forster then made a break with Lewis Sheridan finishing the move to add a try to his eight conversions.
Skolars’ restart went out on the full and Callum Marriott rounded off the afternoon as he barged through a tired defence.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Jarred Bassett
2 Leighton Ball
3 Luciano Bejanidze
4 Aaron Small
5 Abevia McDonald
6 Alex Deery
7 Will Ramsey
8 Harry Kaufman
9 Jonathan Bell
10 Judd Greenhalgh
11 Max Allen
12 Adam Vrahnos
13 Liam O’Callaghan
Subs (all used)
14 Doug Chirnside
22 Anthony Cox
15 Sam Wellings
21 Aston Stephenson
Tries: Small (8,34), Ball (44, 61).
Goals: Bell 3/4
HORNETS
1 Glenn McNally
2 Cian Tyrer
3 Ben Calland
4 Tom Ashton
5 Dan Nixon

6 Rangi Chase
7 Lewis Sheridan
10 Gavin Bennion
28 Aiden Roden
30 Callum Marriott
24 Ben Forster
37 Ben O’Keefe
11 Zac Baker
Subs (all used)
8 FuiFui MoiMoi
9 Sean Penkywicz
18 Luke Fowden
19 Ben Killan
Tries: Calland (15), Ashton (20,34,57), McNally (26), MoiMoi (30), Bennion (51), O’Keefe (64), Sheridan (75), Marriott (79)
Goals: Sheridan 8/10
Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 12-28
Referee: Andy Sweet
Att: 184
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 6-10, 6-16, 6-22, 12-22. 12-28;

BetFred League 1 – 23 rd April 2022
London Skolars 22 Rochdale Hornets 56
London Skolars again pushed a more experienced side for a large part of the game, but as in previous weeks fell away
towards the end of the game.
They took an early lead when Aaron Small chased his own grubber kick through the defence to regather and touch down.
They might have gone further ahead, but Liam O’Callaghan lost possession close to the line.
Hornets also bombed an early chance when Tom Ashton’s pass to Dan Nixon sailed into touch, but after Skolars
conceded two consecutive penalties, Hornets were able to start their attack deep into Skolars’ territory and they swung
the ball to the right for Ben Calland to score. They then attacked down the other wing for the next try, with Ashton cutting
through as Skolars tried to defend an overlap.
They went further ahead when Gregg McNally finished off a break by Lewis Sheridan and then FuiFui MoiMoi crashed
through the defence four minutes later.
Small scored his second try of the game when he brushed off the defence ten metres out to score. Skolars had another
chance soon afterwards, but Leighton Ball lost possession having made a break into Hornets’ territory. The visitors took
advantage and again moved the ball out to the flanks to create a gap for Ashton’s second try.
As in the first half, Skolars were the first to score when Jarred Bassett came into the attacking line to put pressure on the
Hornet’s left flank for Ball to score in the right corner. Will Ramsey kicked to the same corner in their next attacking set,
but the ball went dead just before Ball got to it.
Hornets re-asserted their dominance when Gavin Bennion weaved past the defence, coming just after Anthony Cox had
put in a big hit on MoiMoi, though the impact was such that he came off soon afterwards.
The restart saw Dan Nixon unaccountably try to take a ball that looked to be going dead, he lost control and conceded a
goal-line drop-out. However, Alex Deery’s kick on the next sixth tackle was far too long, a problem that Skolars repeated
far too often throughout the game. On this occasion, that gave Rochdale a seven tackle set and they advanced upfield for
Ashton to complete his hat-trick.
Skolars refused to give up and were prepared to keep moving the ball around to create a gap, culminating in Abevia
McDonald slipping past the defence in the corner. Hornets won the ball from a short restart and again pushed the ball
right for Ben O’Keefe to touchdown. Ben Forster then made a break with Lewis Sheridan finishing the move to add a try to
his eight conversions.
Skolarss restart went out on the full and Callum Marriott rounded off the afternoon as he barged through a tired defence.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Jarred Bassett
2 Leighton Ball
3 Luciano Bejanidze
4 Aaron Small
5 Abevia McDonald
6 Alex Deery
7 Will Ramsey
8 Harry Kaufman
9 Jonathan Bell
10 Judd Greenhalgh
11 Max Allen
12 Adam Vrahnos
13 Liam O’Callaghan
Subs (all used)
14 Doug Chirnside
22 Anthony Cox
15 Sam Wellings
21 Aston Stephenson
Tries: Small (8,34), Ball (44), McDonald (61)
Goals: Bell 3/4
HORNETS
1 Glenn McNally
2 Cian Tyrer
3 Ben Calland
4 Tom Ashton
5 Dan Nixon

6 Rangi Chase
7 Lewis Sheridan
10 Gavin Bennion
28 Aiden Roden
30 Callum Marriott
24 Ben Forster
37 Ben O’Keefe
11 Zac Baker
Subs (all used)
8 FuiFui MoiMoi
9 Sean Penkywicz
18 Luke Fowden
19 Ben Killan
Tries: Calland (15), Ashton (20,34,57), McNally (26), MoiMoi (30), Bennion (51), O’Keefe (64), Sheridan (75), Marriott (79)
Goals: Sheridan 8/10
Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 12-28
Referee: Andy Sweet
Att: 184
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 6-10, 6-16, 6-22, 12-22. 12-28; 18-34, 18-38, 22-38, 22-44, 22-50, 22-56