REPORT | Skolars 12 Dons 44

An inspired Dons side come away with all the points from the capital after a clinical victory over London Skolars.

The first half was a tightly contested affair with Richard Horne’s side scoring three tires to the hosts two.

Connor Robinson missed the opening two conversion attempts but he was on target for the six attempts that followed.

Early doors The Dons came close on a couple of occasions to opening the scoring through Robinson and Ben Howe, but tight defending from the Skolars denied the team on those occasions.

Eventually, The Dons’ persistence paid off and the hosts could not hold them back much longer when The Dons got two tries within six minutes through captain Sam Smeaton and Aaron Ollett-Hobson. Leaving the score at 0-8.

The game then became a yo-yo affair with one side scoring a try before the other would follow suit moments later.    

It started with the Skolars pushing back on the 25^th minute when Jonny Ball found a way past the Dons’ defence before Phil Lyon converted to make it 6-8.

Jason Tali hit back for The Dons after a superb run followed by Robinson successfully converting at the third attempt.

The Skolars came back at The Dons through captain Aaron Small and from a tight angle Lyon again converted making it a tense end to the first-half at 12-14.

In the second half, The Dons came out with all guns firing to kill the game off and ensure the points were brought back to South Yorkshire.

It was in this half that Smeaton completed his hat-trick of tries, after making two good runs to cross the line, and all tries were converted by Robinson.

The Dons went into full cruise control with Travis Corion getting on the end of a long kick to put The Dons across line before Robinson converted.

Stand off Ben Howe and winger Tom Halliday would round-off the afternoon by scoring The Dons’ final two tries of the eight. Both tries were then successfully converted by Robinson.

It was not just a good offensive display from The Dons, but they were excellent defensively in the second period with Ben Cockayne with a good tackle to deny a threatening attack from the Skolars, but minutes later he came off with the physio for treatment for a suspected head injury. Corion would later fall to the same injury after putting himself on the line for the team.