Capital punishment for Eagles in London

30/08/2021

Despite an improved first-half performance, Sheffield Eagles suffered a second successive league defeat on Sunday afternoon against London Broncos.

Eagles chief Mark Aston altered his side after a heavy defeat against Batley last weekend.

Aaron Brown moved back to loose forward from stand-off, in a move that saw James Glover switch into the halves to partner Harry Tyson-Wilson who continued at scrum-half in the absence of Anthony Thackeray and Izaac Farrell.

Glover’s switch of position allowed a return to the Eagles team for Ryan Johnson.

London opened the scoring at Trailfinders Sports Club shortly after an Eagles knock-on. Gideon Boafo finished a silky Broncos move to the right-wing where Chris Hankinson couldn’t convert from the touchline. 

The hosts came close to a second score minutes later when Rob Worrincy fumbled a high kick but luckily for Sheffield, Jacob Ogden knocked on close to the line.

It was the Eagles who added the next score on 20 minutes as Johnson was first to react to Harry Tyson-Wilson cute grubber kick. Guzdek’s successful conversion put Sheffield into a temporary lead.

London responded five minutes later with Boafo crossing for his second, this one gift wrapped by Sheffield.

Ryan Millar’s pass to James Glover went to ground before the London winger walked in for his double. Hankinson was again unsuccessful with the attempted conversion.

London extended their lead with a third Boafo score after the half an hour mark.

In similar circumstances to his second try, Boafo reacted to an Eagles offload quickest before racing away to score.

It was Sheffield who had the final say of the first 40 minutes, which proved to be their last score of the day.

Tyson-Wilson grubbered through the Broncos defence for a second time and Blake Broadbent touched down. Guzdek’s kick from in front meant the Eagles trailed narrowly at the break.

HALF-TIME: LONDON BRONCOS 14-12 SHEFFIELD EAGLES 

Both sides were reduced to 12 men for ten minutes after the interval, as a scuffle broke out between London’s Titus Gwaze and Joel Farrell. It was the Broncos who reacted positively to the extra space on the pitch.

Ogden scored two minutes after the sin-binnings before another ex-Eagle Fozard jumped over the whitewash.

With both tries converted by Hankinson, the Eagles needed the next score but it was the Broncos who added another through Josh Walters.

Set up by James Meadows, the former Featherstone man found the space in Sheffield’s defence as London opened up an 18-point-lead with around 20 minutes remaining.

The full-time Londoners managed the contest well and provided a good defence to the Sheffield side who were held up twice in quick succession through Glover and Paddy Burns.

London added a further two tried in the remaining 10 minutes with expansive play as Sheffield appeared to tire.

Hankinson added a try before Super League-bound Abbas Miski capped off a miserable second-half Sheffield performance.

FULL-TIME: LONDON BRONCOS 42-12 SHEFFIELD EAGLES

By Lewis Coleman, photo by Alex Coleman