Last updated at 12:46, Saturday, 25 August 2012

London Skolars 41 Whitehaven 26: Despite a four-minute burst where they scored three tries late in the second half, Whitehaven left the capital without a bonus point and with a fuming coach.

Craig Calvert

A large Haven contingent travelled down for the Skolars’ ‘Friday Night Lights’ game, but were subdued two minutes into the game when Neil Thorman scooted over from dummy half after they had conceded two penalties in quick succession.

They responded well forcing a goal line drop out and Jamie Rooney levelled the scores when he raced over from dummy half with Carl Rudd adding the conversion.

They then had to defend with Lewis Palfrey putting in a try-saving tackle on speedster Smokie Junor, forcing the ball out of the tackle.

From the resultant scrum, Rooney kicked deep and Craig Calvert chased, getting to the ball just before the tryline, but he was unable to avoid going into touch inches short of the line.

The decision went to the video referee, but Haven’s body language showed they knew it wasn’t a try.

Lamont Bryan broke the defence 5m from the line to score Skolars’ second try, and they extended their lead through Dylan Skee.

Rooney’s kick-off found touch 10m from the try line, but Whitehaven couldn’t make the most of the position and Skolars advanced upfield.

Skee’s crossfield kick was taken by Craig Calvert just in front of his own try line and the winger then raced the length of the field to score a try four minutes before half-time to leave Haven six points behind at the break.

The second half saw Haven come close early on.

Paul Cullnean and Lee Doran were both held up in the same set of six, but then they fell off their intensity and the Londoners took full advantage.

Brad Hopkins ran onto a Skee pass at pace to score down the left flank for Skolars.

Skee them kicked a 40-20 and Rob Thomas blasted through the defensive line soon afterwards.

He nearly added a second minutes later from a break, but chose to go himself when a pass would almost certainly have led to a try, being bundled up by Palfrey.

Skee kicked two penalties to put Skolars 34-12 up.

Haven’s second half was best summed up when Rooney put through a clever grubber into the in-goal area, but no one was chasing and the ball just ran dead.

It seemed to take a Neil Thorman drop-goal to galvanise Whitehaven into action.

They won the ball from the kick-off, then Rooney put in a cross-field kick for Loz Hamzat to take the ball without any pressure to score.

Two minutes later an otherwise quiet Jessie Joe Parker drew in the defence before off-loading to Calvert on the half way line, the winger leaving the defence well behind.

The large travelling contingent really got behind their side and Rooney then finished off a Palfrey break.

Rudd rushed the conversion, but Haven were nine points behind with seven minutes left.

Hopes of a further score were dashed when Dave Williams intercepted for Skolars and after a Rob Thomas break, Andy McLean went over to seal the game for Skolars and keep their play-off hopes alive.

London Skolars: Anthony,  Paxton, Price, Arnot, Junor, McLean, Skee, Purslow, Thorman, Williams, Hopkins, Thomas, Roche; Subs (all used) Thomas, Sykes, Smith, Aggrey

Tries: Thorman (2), Bryan (29), Skee (32), Hopkins (49), R Thomas (51), McLean (78); Goals: Skee 8/8; Drop-goal: Thorman

Whitehaven: Palfrey, Calvert, Wiper, Parker, Hamzat, Rooney, Rudd, Houghton, Hemmingway, Cullnean, Varkulis, Wilson, Doran; Subs (all used) Bauer, Isakka, Beattie, Haggarty

Tries: Rooney (7, 73), Calvert (36, 71), Hamzat (69); Goals: Rudd 2/4, Rooney 1/1

Penalty count: 9-8

Half-time: 18-12

Referee: Warren Turley

Attendance: 1.174

Star man: Craig Calvert

First published at 10:51, Saturday, 25 August 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk