London Skolars 12 Halifax 16: Winger Reittie comes to Halifax’s rescue as Skolars suffer defeat

HALIFAX flirted with Northern Rail Cup calamity in London before an 83rd-minute winning try from Wayne Reittie finally saw them through to the last eight.

The winger, who had been strong all game on a miserable afternoon, pounced on Paul Handforth’s kick on the final play of the match to finally save the visitors’ blushes.

In many ways it was harsh on the Skolars, who had defended doggedly in the mud of the New River Stadium, but it still reflected the superiority of Karl Harrison’s side, last-second losers against Featherstone a week earleir, who had three ‘scores’ disallowed and were held up over the line on a handful of occasions.

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London went close to scoring when James Anthony scrambled over the line only to be held up.

At the other end, Craig Ashall stormed clear and kicked ahead, but home winger John Paxton just about got back to deny the on-rushing Reittie.

Paul Handforth then sent Adam Robinson clear down the left, but the back-row’s pass to Reittie sailed high, wide and over the sideline.

If either of those chances had been taken it might have been a different game entirely, but instead the mistakes continued.

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Halifax were still forcing the pace, Sean Penkywicz wriggling clear down the right, but again the crucial pass – this time intended for Rob Worrincy – found the ground rather than the player.

Against all expectations, it was the Skolars who broke the deadlock when Austen Aggrey somehow got the ball down through a posse of defenders and Dylan Skee kicked the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Halifax made it over the line twice, but Tyrer’s ball to Reittie was forward before Luke Ambler’s effort was wiped out.

Halifax, for all their fumblings, clearly had far greater potential with the ball and finally cracked the home defence on 47 minutes, Ryan Fieldhouse skating over on the left and Steve Tyrer kicking the goal to level at 6-6.

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Parity lasted a matter of moments, Ben Heaton being sin-binned for a late challenge on Skee and the half-back stepping up to boot the penalty. Halifax compounded their error by sending the kick-off out on the full and the Skolars took immediate advantage, Ade Adebisi fighting his way over.

Skee missed the goal to leave Halifax within a score at 12-6, and they looked to have levelled when Fieldhouse slid over, only to be penalised for a double movement. The visitors finally gave themselves a fighting chance of a comeback with nine minutes to go when substitute Anthony Bowman’s chip kick was pounced on by Steve Tyrer.

The centre’s conversion attempt drifted agonisingly wide to leave the Skolars 12-10 ahead.

Just as it looked like the Skolars would hang on though, Handforth dabbed the ball along the deck and Reittie pounced for the match-winner, Tyrer kicking the academic conversion.

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London Skolars: Anthony, Paxton, Price, McNamara, Adebisi, McLean, Skee, R. Thomas, Thorman, D. Williams, Bates, M. Thomas, Bryan. Substitutes: Purslow, Aggrey, Burke, Ridley.

Halifax: Fieldhouse, Reittie, Tyrer, Heaton, Worrincy, Handforth, Thackery, Gannon, Penkywicz, Hesketh, Manning, Robinson, Ashall. Substitutes: Bowman, Ambler, Casey, Patterson.

Referee: J Cobb (RFL).

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