RUGBY LEAGUE: South Wales Scorpions won their first competitive first team match after 342 days and 16 consecutive defeats.
They beat London Skolars 48-18 in the Kingstone Press Championship One Division in Enflield on June 7.
On June 1 the Scorpions came away with a disappointing two point defeat against Gloucestershire All Golds, but their first win of the season was emphatic.
The Scorpions dominated from start to finish and with their first real attack of the game, Matt Wilcox stormed over the line after five minutes for a converted try.
The Skolars soon forced a goal-line drop-out and from the resulting set, Will Lovell ran over but former Scorpion Courtney Davies missed the kick.
The Welsh extended their lead on the quarter hour after a well worked set when Mike Connor forced his way past the Skolars pack. Emanuelli goaled to make the score 12-4.
The third came on 19 minutes when an unmarked Kyle Scrivens calmly caught the ball to ground in the corner. Emanuelli converted well from the touchline to make it 18-4.
The Skolars had their chances and after missing a goal-kick, Davies should have had a try against his former side but dropped the ball when he dived for the line.
They did eventually get over when Mufaro Mvududu did well to stretch out under pressure.
Davies missed the kick but he scored the next conversion nine minutes after the interval when hooker Martyn Smith evaded a number of players to sneak his way under the sticks.
The Scorpions struck back with some excellent play ten metres out and Greg Wilde set up Chris Vitalini to score under the sticks. Emaneulli added the conversion to put them 24-14 up.
A stunning try from Emanuelli followed as he successfully chased a chip kick to score under the posts and easily convert.
Crusaders’ loanee Greg Wilde sealed the win with 16 minutes to go and Emanuelli converted again to put Scorpions 36-14 up.
Nothing went right for the Skolars as Iliess Macani dived over the line to potentially get a try back but he dropped the ball at the last second.
Mike Connor dived over to rub salt into Skolars’ wounds for Emanuelli to miss the conversion, but the Scorpions weren’t finished and Farrer added his customary try which Emanuelli converted to make the score 46-14.
The last word did go to the Skolars as Lovell fought his way over for his second of the game, but it was the Scorpions who celebrated and they will hope to build on their first win of the season against Oldham Roughyheds on June 15.
• Match report by Ian Golden