KINGSTONE PRESS CHAMPIONSHIP ONE

OXFORD RL slipped to second from bottom in the table after a 52-28 home defeat to London Skolars.

London recorded only their third win of the season with a 24-point burst in the final quarter to go above Oxford into seventh.

Skolars opened the scoring on nine minutes when Mike Bishay went over from dummy-half.

But Oxford hit back almost immediately when captain Alex Thompson notched a similar try.

London’s Dave Williams took advantage of a fearsome coll-ision between Martyn Smith and Oxford’s Callum Mulkeen, when chasing a Courtney Davies grubber, to dot down the ball.

James Duckworth was the third Skolar to cross when he finished off a move started by Bishay.

This came just after Smith was fortunate not to receive a serious sanction for an aerial challenge on Sean Morris.

Oxford’s Tommy Connick, who kicked four out of five conversions, cut the deficit to two points when he scored under the posts, though Skolars felt there was an obstruction as he ran to the line.

Denny Solomona added a fourth try for the visitors.

Courtney Davies converted seven of London’s nine tries and a penalty just before half-time.

Oxford started the second half well and scored inside two minutes, Sam Blaney bursting through between the posts.

Skolars punished an Oxford knock-on, with Bishay crossing in the left corner Sean Morris replied with a try from a superb run and Oxford levelled at 28-28 when the same player fed Jack Briggs to score.

That was as good as it got for as London took control.

Solomona scored twice more to complete his hat-trick, while Bryan Lamont and Dave Williams added further tries.