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| Skolars v Bulldogs match report |
| added 2010-07-23 17:49:49 by Kevin Reith |
London Skolars 8
Hainault Bulldogs 29
MATTY STEWART grabbed his third hat-trick of the season and the Bulldogs scored the first drop goal in their entire history as they ended a run of five defeats on the spin with a well-deserved victory at London Skolars.
The impressive Stewart may have starred going forward, but for coach Kevin Reith it was the defence that was the key to this victory.
"It was our best defensive performance of the season," said Reith. "Considering the amount of mistakes we have made this season, to keep a clean sheet for 55 minutes was a real achievement."
The Dagenham-based club took 17 players to north London for this Conference Premier South clash, a vital ingredient of this victory after only having 15 in the heat south of the river the previous week.
They were missing Tom Ashton through injury and they made a spluttering start as they failed to finish their first seven set of six tackles.
The returning Reece Barney and Anthony Tank-Sherwood were impressive going forward, but the Skolars were the first to get on the scoresheet when a kick over the top on the fourth tackle was followed by a very fortuitous bounce that allowed the home side to open a 4-0 lead.
The lead didn't last long however. Graham Bailey burst through a tackle to storm forward, before slipping a pass to Joe Jones who went over to level the match.
A familiar knock-on in their own half allowed Skolars to restore their lead at 8-4, but that was to prove their final score of the match as the Bulldogs stepped up their defence.
Stewart set up winger Charlie Seager to level the scores and the Bulldogs then had their best period of the game as they simply played the home side off the park.
Stewart nipped in for his first try of the match which Danny Lewis converted and then three minutes from the break, he added a second to give Bulldogs an 18-8 half-time lead.
"I wasn't particular happy with the way we were losing the ball, but I just told them to be patient, break then down and take their time in the second half," said Reith.
The players certainly took the advice of their coach as they put a professional gloss to their second-half performance.
Stewart completed his hat-trick, converted by Lewis and then came that historic moment just before the hour mark.
The Bulldogs reached their fifth tackle and when it was played back to Ben Amato he slotted the ball between the posts for the club's first-ever one-pointer.
"This is our fourth year and it was our first ever drop goal and I always stress that when you are pressing, make sure you come back with something for your troubles, but I'm not sure about a drop goal," smiled Reith.
That made the score 25-8 and the scoring was rounded off on 64 minutes when Joe Jones grabbed his second.
"We should have won by a lot more and we had plenty of chances in that last quarter of an hour, but I was most pleased with our defence. They had some pressure, but we coped with it really well," said a delighted Reith.
The win lifts them one place up the table to leave them two off the bottom and two places away from the play-offs.
This Saturday they face a tough task at West London, but Reith believes they are going their with a chance.
"We beat them at our place, so they will be looking for revenge and they are the team in form having beaten Hammersmith and Portsmouth in the last two weeks," said Reith.
"But we are capable of living with anyone in this division, and we will go there hopeful of getting a result.
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