Coventry haul themselves back into the play-off picture with last gasp win over the Skolars

A 79th minute Dan Coates kick was the difference in a hard hitting Betfred League One clash, with Coventry Bears emerging victorious by a scoreline of 14-12 away at London Skolars. 

In its’ entirety to date so far this campaign, the Betfred League One season has been a difficult one for all involved, mainly due to the ever-changing situation in relation to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. However, with government enforced restrictions in the UK now easing, it does look likely that the season will be played out in full.

London Skolars came into this game off the back of a high scoring 46-30 home win over West Wales, which succeeded a 16-16 draw with Doncaster. Success in recent times doesn’t tell the whole story of the campaign for the Skolars though, with Jermaine Coleman’s men struggling at times and falling to five consecutive defeats prior to those two results. 

Coventry, meanwhile, had recently got what had been a highly disappointing campaign back on track with successive home victories over Hunslet Hawks and Keighley Cougars. Most recently though, this was followed by a 40-12 drubbing at the hands of league leaders Barrow Raiders. 

Lineups: 

London Skolars: Ilies Macani, Max Clarke, Aaron Small, Kameron Pearce-Paul, Lameck Juma, Jacob Thomas, Omari Caro, Lamont Bryan, Neil Thorman, Matt Ross, Paulos Latu, Chris Ball, Mike Greenhalgh 

Interchanges: Judd Greenhalgh, Malikhi Lloyd-Jones, Louis Singleton and Christian Gale 

Head Coach: Jermaine Coleman 

Coventry Bears: Nathan Hill, Elliot Wallis, Jack Dawson, Kadeem Williams, Reece Rance, Dan Coates, Peter Ryan, Chris Cullimore, Brad Clavering, Liam Welham, Kieran Sherratt, Ryan Langton 

Interchanges: Elliot Townsend, Elliot Windley, Hayden Freeman and Will Budd 

Head Coach: Richard Squires 

At home, London started the game on top with an excellent kick and chase off the back of their first set, which earned them a turnover and subsequently allowed them to get themselves over the tryline early on, but Coleman’s side were held up.

However, that only delayed the first try of the game from the Skolars as soon after, they regained possession and got the ball out wide to Lameck Juma who had the easy task of diving over from close range to hand his side an early advantage. Neil Thorman added the extras to leave the scoreboard at 6-0.

For the most part, the game was scrappy and lacked fluidity, epitomised by the handbags that ensued after a big hit midway through the first half. It was the Skolars who applied the pressure though, and were held up over the line once again, this time youngster Max Clarke denied a debut try. 

Already sensing a tight game, London took any opportunity they could to try and put some more distance between them and the opposition on the scoreboard. Goal-kicker Thorman attempted to kick two penalties in quick succession, though only one proved fruitful and with that single successive conversion, the hosts had the lead at 8-0 midway through the half. 

Coventry weren’t going to lie down though, and the tide turned at around the 25-minute mark with the Bears really starting to exert some pressure on their opponents, much of which defended well by a firm Skolars’ backline.

That was until a momentary lapse in concentration led to an opening for Cov’s Liam Welham to exploit, which he duly did in scoring a fantastic individual try, matched by a successful conversion from teammate Coates to put the Bears within two points and with the wind in their sails.

No further points were added from either team before halftime, but the break did nothing to stem what had become an irrepressible Coventry attacking force, and shortly after the restart, they got their breakthrough.

Kadeem Williams made a lung-bursting line break which allowed for a quick reset and a score before London could get set defensively, Dave Scott the Bears man to power himself over the line. Coates again successful with the boot and having trailed by eight, Squires’ side now led by four. 8-12

A contingent of travelling Coventry supporters who had made the trip south to support their side thought that the Bears had extended that lead soon after, grounding the ball from a good kick, but it was pulled back for offside. 

Kicking was becoming all the more important in the match, and a clever one from the Skolars in the 55th minute provided the next score, with Juma somehow grounding the ball without straying into touch having collected a kick from his teammate close to the line. That levelled things up at 12-12, but Thorman’s missed conversion from a tight angle would prove costly.  

As the second half wore on, the conditions got increasingly challenging with some blustery winds and persistent rain. This, no doubt, did nothing to help change the bitty nature of the encounter, as both sides played out some poor sets. 

As a result, chances were coming at a real premium and neither team were willing to ‘risk it all’ in attack in fear of leaving themselves exposed at the back. Strangely though, neither the Skolars or the Bears were prepared to go for a drop goal either and it did look like the League One clash was going to end honours even. 

In fact, it took until the very end of the game for either side to attempt a kick at goal, and it was Coventry who were the ‘braver’. Having been rewarded with two consecutive penalties for high tackles and despite proving unsuccessful in his first attempt, Coates made no mistake with his second.

Kicking from close to the halfway line – 40m out – in the 79th minute to win a match that would surely keep his team in the play-off hunt, the Bears’ man showed nerves of steel to send a powerful effort sailing between the posts, which the Cov fans were behind to make it all the more sweeter. 

Full Time: London Skolars 12-14 Coventry Bears 

Breakdown

The Bears edge out the Skolars in what was a scrappy, but no less hard hitting and intriguing game of rugby league which likely keeps their hopes of finishing in the play-off spots alive. The Skolars were in the ascendancy early on but Coventry dominated either side of half time and earned themselves tries to show for it.

A fabulous second try for London’s Lameck Juma left the game on a knife edge, and perhaps that contributed to the scrappiness, with neither side wanting to give an inch to the other. 

Of course, it was ultimately some ill-discipline which cost the Skolars the match, and Neil Thorman will no doubt be gutted after missing some kicks that he would normally dispatch and those misses proved vital in the end.

The Bears won’t be pleased with their overall outing, but boss Richard Squires will be delighted with the character shown by his players, and the grit and determination which eventually got them over the line. 

Cov have a crucial game at the Butts Park Arena next week as they play a North Wales Crusaders side in a very similar situation, breathing down the necks of the current top six and vying for a play-off spot come the end of the campaign. 

As for the Skolars, that could well be the end of any existing play-off hopes as they are cut adrift from the rest of the play-off chasing pack. If they are to claw back what is now a five-point deficit from the sixth-placed Crusaders, some huge performances will be needed and soon. That must start in their next outing at home to Rochdale.

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