Skolars well beaten in Capital Challenge (From Haringey Independent)

Skolars well beaten in Capital Challenge

8:31am Tuesday 26th January 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share

ETF Securities Capital Challenge . . .  London Skolars 0 Harlequins 56 . . .

  In their only pre-season friendly before their opening Northern Rail Cup game, Skolars worked hard, but couldn’t stop a Super League side from running in 10 unanswered tries on their way to a comfortable 56-0 victory.

  Nevertheless, Skolars’ coach James Massara did take some positives from the game.

“There are a number of players who were missing from both sides today and I know we will be much stronger when our players come back. We are going to try and play tough and entertaining football this season. Obviously it was very tough today, but it was a good hit-up for us.  I was disappointed not to score, but we are playing against a full-time Super League team and there is no way we were going to have it easy against a team coached by Brian McDermott.”

The game was played in pouring rain in the otherwise picturesque Honourable Artillery Company ground sitting in the heart of the City of London.

  Harlequins opened the scoring in the third minute through Luke Gale, who ended up with a hat-trick and Skolars found themselves 22–0 down after 21 minutes. Ball handling was difficult, but a clever kick through by Chad Isles nearly brought a Skolars try for Smokie Junor after 28 minutes. He was denied by the covering Chad Randall, who grounded the ball in goal for a goal-line drop-out. Another try followed for the Quins just before half-time.

The second half saw Skolars spend more time with the ball in Harlequins’ half, but they could do little to breach the line and, as the fitness of full-timers start to count, Skolars conceded five more tries, Chris Melling scoring a brace and Danny Orr finished with seven conversions.

Next Sunday, the Skolars open their competitive season with a visit to the Dewsbury Rams in the Northern Rail Cup. Their first home game follows a week later when Halifax are the visitors.

London Skolars: Omari Caro, Smokie Junor, Matt Thomas, Curtis Cunningham, Dave Arnott, Max Edwards, Chad Isles, Liam Roach, Liam Prescott, Ben Jones, Ollie Purslow, Matt Carter, Steve Ball. Subs: Dave Williams, Tony Williams, Aran Quinn, Jaroslaw Obuchowski, Graeme Spence, Olu Iwenofu, Olsi Krasniqi.

  Harlequins: Ben Jones-Bishop, Chris Melling, Tony Clubb, David Howell, Will Sharp, Danny Orr, Luke Gale, Oliver Wilkes, Chad Randall, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Luke Williamson, Jason Golden, Ryan Esders. Subs: Ben Kaye, Matt James, Danny Ward, Ben Bolger, Jamie O’Callaghan, Martin Smith.

ANDREW JACKSON

• Print
• Email
• Share