London Skolars v. Blackpool Panthers

Well, what a game, this was what National League Two looks like.

For the first quarter the teams tussled without crossing the line, and honours were pretty much even. Skolars looked a touch ropey, and gave a couple of unnecessary holding down penalties. Technical faults were to be their undoing.

The Lancastrians ran in the first couple of tries, but Skolars clawed a couple back, to basically end up playing catch up for the hole match.

As the game went on, the Londoners faults began to show through, with an excess of fumbles and knock-ons. The score belies their performance, because unless the try was under the posts, Blackpool seemed incapable of converting.

Towards the end the home side scored an improbably try on the fifth tackle of their set - a ball was thrown back loose into space, picked up, passed on, and then run through - I suspect incredulity stunned the visitors momentarilly. They had used forward kicking before the end of their sets to great effect throughout the game.

There was some poor referreeing, particularly grievous was an icnident in which a Blackpool player swung his opponent around by the head, and didn't get sent off. That was ruddy dangerous.

Skolars lost, but seem set to come above Hunslett in the table - result!

Anyway, all aside:

London Skolars 28-36 Blackpool