By ANDREW JACKSON
SKOLARS gained their first league win of the season in impressive fashion, lifting them off the bottom of the table.
The game was the side’s annual Friday Night Lights game, played before the Challenge Cup final, which this year took
place further down White Hart Lane at the Tottenham Stadium.
Skolars took an early lead with Jonathan Bell finding a gap in the defence for Luciano Bejandidze to race 20 metres on
the right, with Phil Lyon converting. Oldham levelled the scored when Dave Hewitt finished off a Calvin Wellington down
their right side.
However, the visitors lost possession close to their line in the first tackle after the restart, Rob Tuliatu barging over. He
was one of three players returning to Skolars on loan from London Broncos and gave power and experience to the pack.
Lameck Juma made the move back from Broncos permanent earlier the week and he showed what Skolars had been
missing as he forced his way over despite the efforts of his would-be tacklers. On several occasions when Skolars got
close to the tryline, Oldham pulled then over the line to ensure the next tackle was ten metres further back.
Too often Oldham gave away penalties in the first half putting pressure on themselves to defend against a side that has
looked to move the ball around even when they’ve been being beaten heavily. When Jerome Yates burrowed his way
over from close range late in the half, it gave a half-time scoreline that few in the large crowd would have expected.
Skolars nearly went further ahead soon after the break, when Bill Leyland chip-kicked over the defence and regathered 20
metres out, but Leighton Ball couldn’t take a wild pass and the ball went into touch.
Oldham did find some gaps on the edges, but twice Skolars pulled the attacker into touch. It looked like Skolars might
have sealed the game when Lameck Juma scored his second try, but given their defensive frailties so far this season,
there was an opportunity for Oldham when Luma lashed out as he got up to play the ball and was yellow carded. Martyn
Ridyard exposed a gap in the defence almost immediately for Wellington to score on the left and with fourteen minutes
remaining there was still a chance for a comeback.
However, Jarred Bassett’s positioning and ability to take high kicks meant Oldham never capitlalised on the Skolars
having to face the low sun in the second half. A break down the right was finished off in style by Reece Rance, who’d
moved to the right wing. Three minutes later Skolars’ broke down the right with Jerome Yates speeding his way over.
Connor Carr’s try in the corner just before the hooter was little consolation for the travelling Oldham support.
LONDON SKOLARS
1 Jarred Bassett
2 Leighton Ball
3 Jerome Yates
4 Aaron Small
5 Reece Rance
6 Alex Deery
7 Phil Lyon
8 Rob Tuilatu
9 Jonathan Bell
10 Harry Kaufman
11 Lameck Juma
12 Luciano Bejanidze
12 Adam Vrahnos
Subs (all used)
15 Christian Gale
22 Anthony Cox
21 Judd Greenhalgh
14 Bill Leyland
Tries: Bejandidze (4), Tuilatu (15), Juma (18,55), Yates (36,74), Rance (71)
Goals: Lyon 5/7
Sin-bin: Juma (63) – striking opponent
OLDHAM
1 Owen Restall
2 Connor Carr
3 Calvin Wellington
23 Kian Miorgan
18 Joe Hartley
6 Martyn Ridyard
7 David Hewitt
8 Luke Nelmes
34 Billy Yarrow
10 Tom Spencer
30 Dave Windrow
24 Ethan Ferry
32 Nyle Flynn
Subs (all used)
14 Sean Slater
12 Callum Cameron
15 Jordan Andrade
13 Emmerson Whittel
Tries: Hewitt (13), Wellington (66), Carr (80)
Goals: Ridyard 2/3
Penalty count: 7-6
Half-time: 24-6
Referee: Luke Bland
Att: 872
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6,18-6,24-6, 28-6, 28-12, 32-12, 38-12, 38-16
