Betfred League One: London Skolars 76 Hemel Stags 6

London Skolars thrashed local rivals Hemel Stags 76-6 to record their largest-ever victory in Betfred League One.

That record came after a slow start. Skolars conceded a penalty in stopping a Stags break and that gave the visitors possession close to the line, with their player/coach Jack Howieson touching down, with Louis Sheriff adding the conversion.

It was almost midway through the first half that London levelled the score, creating pressure after their first penalty of the afternoon, before Daymeric Pelo touched down.

Skolars went ahead on the half-hour through a Lameck Juma try, with Neil Thorman adding his second conversion.

With Billy Driver on as a substitute for Thorman, Phil Lyon took over the kicking duties after Vinny Finigan finished off a Sam Nash break.

The final minute of the half saw Omari Caro break past the defence to put London 24-6 up.

Lyon scored in the first minute of the first half, but went off injured soon afterwards.

Hemel had bigger problems, with injuries having prevented them bringing any substitutes and they were reduced to 12 men for the rest of the match when Alex Williams hobbled off.

Mike Bishay slipped past the defence to score, before Skolars then ran in eight tries in a 20-minute spell where Stags rarely got possession.

Finigan made the most of an overlap on the right, before Nash cut inside after a break on the same side and added a second two minutes later.

Lamont Bryan scored his twelfth try of the season, before Caro scored his second try of the afternoon with a break from halfway.

Hemel did get some possession when Sheriff took a short kick-off with the rest of his side still 15 metres away from the half-way line.

London were caught napping as he re-gathered the ball on the ten metre line.

However, once Skolars regained possession, Caro raced down the left wing before passing inside to Matt Fleming.

Sheriff successfully repeated his kick-off move, but it wasn’t long before Caro evaded the defence, this time kicking through for Thorman to touchdown.

Fleming then added his second try of the day with Thorman’s conversion giving the kicker 20 points in the game.

Skolars are next in action on Sunday when they visit Workington Town