Ealing Trailfinders vs Rotherham Titans

Match Report

Ealing Trailfinders ended their season with a seven-try victory over Rotherham Titans, a side who had won all three matches between them earlier in the season.

Victory meant that Ben Ward’s side finish one place and one point behind the South Yorkshire side in the Greene King IPA Championship and they will renew their rivalry next season.

After the match opened with a bang when Arthur Ellis ran deep into the Rotherham half from kick-off, errors began to creep in.

Ealing Trailfinders’ James Love and Rotherham’s Will Owen knocked on close in, while Ellis came to his team’s rescue by stopping Darran Harris on the line.

Alun Walker eventually opened the scoring for the home side when he barrelled over from close range after Tom Trotter’s quick tap penalty had taken play up to the Rotherham line.

The home side enjoyed the bulk of territory and possession and they were further rewarded when Ellis was twice driven over from line-outs before the break.

Luke Daniels continued to impose himself on the match with his pace, but as the second half wore on the Titans worked their way back into proceedings and after twice over-throwing line-outs on the Ealing Trailfinders line, substitute Jack Preece eventually scored from a rolling maul.

The hosts hit back immediately when Love jinked past Michael Keating to set Adam Preocanin free to charge home and wrap up the four-try bonus point. Love then set Daniels free to race away for the fifth.

As the clock and season drew to a close Newcastle-bound Harrison Orr signed off his time in W13 with a try and scrum-half Trotter scored a richly deserved first in Ealing Trailfinders colours.

George Edgson pulled one back for Rotherham, but by then the result was long decided.

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Walker 18, Ellis 24, 40, Preocanin 53, Daniels 57, Orr 65, Trotter 66), Conversions (Ward 18, Love 40, 58, 65, 66)
Rotherham Titans
Tries (Preece 51, Edgson 74), Conversions (Thomas 51)

Ealing Trailfinders
Luke Daniels, Rhys Crane, Toby Howley-Berridge, Joe Munro, James Love, Ben Ward, Tom Trotter; Wil Davis, Alun Walker, Alex Penny, Paul Spivey, Adam Preocanin, Llewelyn Jones, Arthur Ellis, Chris York (captain)
Reserves
Jamie Kilbane, Rhys Lawrence, Sam Rodman, Harrison Orr, Alex Bradley, Tom Wheatcroft, Chris Kinloch

Rotherham Titans
Ross Jones, Michael Keating, Jack Hayes, Will Owen, Lloyd Hayes, Will Robinson, Luke Carter; Toby Williams, Darran Harris, Lewis Thiede, Adam Sinclair, Barney Maddison (captain), Max Argyle, Ali Birch, Willie Ryan
Reserves
George Edgson, Michael Cromie, James Elliot, Josh Redfern, Jack Preece, Dan White, Joe Barker

Referee – Fergus Kirby
Attendance – 667
STORM Watches Man of the Match – Luke Daniels