The Exiles ran in eleven tries in a convincing 26-73 display against bottom sitting Yorkshire Carnegie at Headingley Stadium in their first win of 2020.
Luke Frost went over to score a hattrick and was joined on the scoreboard by Rob Stevenson, Dan Barnes, James Malcolm, Mark Bright, Luke Hibberd, Elliott Creed, Rory Brand and Bobby Beattie. Harry Sheppard landed eight conversions and Will Magie one.
Yorkshire’s try scorers were Alex Humfrey, Tom Varndell, Joe Green and Tobi Ademakin. Joe Carlisle converted two and Kieran Davies one.
Playing in their white away kit, the Exiles kicked off proceedings through the boot of Sheppard. Scottish played from right to left in the first half and got off to a good start when they managed to claim the ball off the back of the kick-off.
Having gone through the phases from right to left and then back out right, Matt Eliet made a break from 23 metres out and took out the final Yorkshire Carnegie defender five metres out and offloaded to Frost who scored behind the posts with only one minute on the clock. Sheppard converted; Yorkshire Carnegie 0-7 London Scottish.
The home side responded quickly when Humfrey went over to score off the back of a rolling maul set up five metres out. Carlisle converted; Yorkshire Carnegie 7-7 London Scottish.
With seven minutes on the clock, Scottish set up their second and Frost’s double off the back of a surging rolling maul from five metres out. Sheppard converted; Yorkshire Carnegie 7-14 London Scottish.
Four minutes later Stevenson showed his dancing feet to score from 35 metres out in the left corner. Sheppard landed the extras; Yorkshire Carnegie 7-19 London Scottish.
A poor pass from Scottish between their own 10 and 22 metre lines ended in a Varndell interception try, which Carlisle converted. Yorkshire Carnegie 14-21 London Scottish.
With less than 20 minutes to go until the half time whistle, Barnes fended off a few defenders to score right under the posts, from 30 metres and brought up the bonus point for the Scots. Sheppard landed the extras; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-28 London Scottish.
The Exiles scored twice in the ten minutes leading up to half time. Malcolm went over to score off the back of another rolling maul five metres out. Sheppard slotted another; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-35 London Scottish.
A turnover from Matas Jurevicius on the Scots’ 10 metre line lead to a break from the youngster up past the half-way line, to then offload to captain Lewis Wynne, who carried into Yorkshire’s 22. Quick ball created by Malcolm went out to Bright, who brought the Exiles to five metres out.
The Scots went through the phases with Bright eventually punching his way over the try line. Sheppard converted to head into half-time with a 100% kicking off the tee.
The half time score was Yorkshire Carnegie 14-42 London Scottish.
Only one minute into the second half, quick hands from Sheppard and Bright set up a break from Stevenson on the half-way line all the way up into Yorkshire’s 22. The right winger offloaded for full back Hibberd to score in the left corner. Sheppard missed his first conversion of the afternoon; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-47 London Scottish.
A three on one advantage set up Creed’s try in the 48th minute, the outside centre scoring on his return from injury. Sheppard landed the extras; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-54 London Scottish.
Two minutes later a break, started from Hibberd well in his own half, brought the Scots up to the half way line, where the full back joined forces with Beattie up Yorkshire’s 10 metre line, before offloading back to Hibberd, who offloaded to replacement scrum-half Brand to score under the posts from 22 metres out.
Sheppard’s conversion brought the Scots up past the 60 mark; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-61 London Scottish.
With a quarter of the match left to go, a solid Scottish scrum just within their own half saw the ball go out to the backs and Creed broke up to Yorkshire’s 10 metre line curtsey of a lovely late flat pass from Barnes. Creed offloaded to Hibberd, who passed out wide to Beattie, who put on the afterburners to score from 30 metres out. Sheppard missed the extras; Yorkshire Carnegie 14-66 London Scottish.
Yorkshire scrum-half Green went over to score with 13 minutes left on the clock. Some poor Scottish defending opened up the man advantage on the left wing for the home side. Kieran Davies missed the conversion; Yorkshire Carnegie 19-66 London Scottish.
Frost went over to score his hattrick and bring up the 71 points for the Scots with five minutes left to play, off the back of a line out five metres out. The second rower managed to wriggle his way out of a tackle to go over and score. Magie landed the extras; Yorkshire Carnegie 19-73 London Scottish.
Yorkshire Carnegie had the final say of the match when Flynn went over to score in the final minute of the game off the back of another rolling maul. Davies converted to bring the final score to 26-73 at the final whistle.
The Scots next game is at home at the Athletic Ground in a week’s time when they welcome Hartpury College on Saturday 14th March, kick off 3pm.
Click HERE to watch the post match interview with Luke Frost and for the match trylights click HERE.
