Jersey Reds vs Ealing Trailfinders

Match Report

Ealing Trailfinders left the Channel Islands empty-handed after they came up against a powerful Jersey side in rampant form under the lights at St Peters.

Ben Ward’s side led for a short while in the first half after Iain Grieves scored, but once Harvey Biljon’s team found their rhythm they took a grip on the match which they didn’t relinquish.

Jersey kicked off and within two minutes were ahead when fullback Aaron Penberthy banged over a penalty within two minutes. He stretched the lead further on 13 minutes with his second penalty after wing Ross Adair had led a Jersey counter-attack.

Ealing Trailfinders worked their way into the match and dominated for 10 minutes before Grieves was driven over from a line-out. Alex Davies converted the try, but Penberthy hit back to put the host back in the lead with his third penalty.

Jersey stretched their lead further on the stroke of half-time when their forwards hammered the Ealing Trailfinders line and eventually were rewarded with a penalty try that Penberthy converted to stretch the lead to 16-7 at half-time.

Jersey increased the lead further still early in the second half when prop Sam Lockwood powered over from close range after the Jersey forwards had enjoyed a period of dominance.

Ealing Trailfinders fought back and after Toby Howley-Berridge and Luke Daniels threatened the Jersey lines with strong running, George Porter was held up on the Jersey line.

As the match wore on Jersey reserve Uili Kolo’ofai drove over from close range and then with two minutes left on the clock fly-half Brendan Cope rounded off an attack after Jersey’s backs had a belated chance to stretch their legs.

Scorers
Jersey
Tries (Penalty 36, Lockwood 45, Kolo’ofai 63, Cope 78), Conversions (Penberthy 37, 63 Cope 78), Penalties (Penberthy 2, 10, 33)
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Preocanin 29), Conversions (Davies 9)

Jersey
Aaron Penberthy, Tom Howe, Fautua Otto, Lewis Robling, Ross Adair, Brendan Cope, Samisoni Fisilau; Sam Lockwood, Martin Garcia-Veiga, Oliver Tomaszczyk, Pearce Phillips, Will Rowlands, Alex Rae (captain), Gary Graham, Nic Haining
Reserves
Ignacio Saenz-Lancuba, Nic Selway, Dabby Herriott, Uili Kolo’ofai, James Freeman, Jack Winter-Moates, Mark McCrea

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, James Stephenson, Toby Howley-Berridge, Tom Wheatcroft, Luke Daniels, Ben Ward, Alex Davies; Jamie Kilbane, Alun Walker, Michael Holford, Nathan Hannay, Adam Preocanin, Llewelyn Jones, Iain Grieve (captain), Chris York
Reserves
George Porter, Rhys Lawrence, Nathan Buck, Eoghan Grace, Arthur Ellis, Alex Walker, Callum Wilson

Referee – Ian Tempest
Attendance – 1, 952