Ealing Trailfinders vs Coventry

Ealing Trailfinders were stung by a late comeback as Coventry scored two tries in the final quarter to leave West London with a 28-28 draw.

Ben Ward’s side had built a 28-14 lead with 20 minutes remaining after tries from Kieran Murphy, Matt Cornish, Rayn Smid and Harry Casson but had to settle for a share of the points on a wet and windy day at Trailfinders Sports Club.

The Trailfinders once again made a fast start and took the lead with just five minutes on the clock, a trait that has served them well so far this season. A penalty was kicked to the corner, and with the ball coming straight down from Rayn Smid it fell to Kieran Murphy who powered his way to the line from close range. Craig Willis added the extras to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.

Coventry then looked for a response and after a period of sustained pressure they got their reward. A succession of penalties saw them edge towards the line and then a rolling maul allowed Darren Dawidiuk to break away and open their account. Will Maisey’s conversion sailed over the posts to level the score.

Matt Cornish then put the hosts back in front just a minute later as the Green and Whites scored straight from the re-start. A penalty almost immediately was kicked within five metres of the line, and then in trademark style Matt Cornish was on hand at the back of the maul to score for the second consecutive week. Willis was again on the money from the tee to increase the advantage to seven points.

Craig Hampson was sent to the sin-bin on the half hour mark after an attempted interception was slapped down, and that allowed Coventry to cross the try-line again as they started to dominate the rest of the first half.

They inched towards the line and then found Rory Jennings who picked a great line to burst past the final defender. Maisey’s conversion made it 14-14 as the clock edged towards half time.

Rayn Smid looked to have put the Trailfinders back in front but was held up over the line to the disappointment of the home fans, and the sides then headed down the tunnel after a tight opening 40 minutes.

Ward’s men came out firing in the second half and were rampant in the opening stages to take control of the match.

Elijah Niko smashed past a couple of defenders to take play over the half way line and Harry Casson then broke as he entered the 22. Willis lifted the ball over the top and Rayn Smid was on hand to power over, giving his side the lead again. The flags went up for WIllis’ conversion as they once again held a seven point advantage.

Reon Joseph was then inches from getting on to the end of Craig Hampson’s box kick, but it didn’t take long for the bonus point try to arrive as Harry Casson bundled over.

A penalty was kicked to the corner and despite going close from the maul, Casson forced his way through the defence after minutes of pressure to give the hosts some breathing space.

Coventry refused to lie down and got back in to the match with a try from Max Trimble. They had possession on the half way line and a speculative pass found the winger in acres of space who had the pace to run clear. Maisey’s excellent touchline conversion cut the deficit to just seven points.

The pressure was building as the visitors eyed up a draw, and they would seal a share of the spoils with just three minutes left. Rory Jennings saw David Halaifonua on the wing and delivered an inch-perfect cross-field kick which allowed the Tongan international to score in the corner. Maisey again nailed the conversion under immense pressure to tie the scores.

Late drama then saw Rayn Smid crash his way past a number of defenders and race up to the half way line with Ben West on the inside, however the visitors managed to scramble back and ensure that the referee would signal the end of the match.

The Trailfinders now face two weeks on the road against Yorkshire Carnegie and Doncaster Knights as they look to regain their form.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Tommy Bell 14 James Cordy Redden (replaced by Elijah Niko, 45 mins) 13 David Johnston 12 Harry Sloan 11 Reon Joseph 10 Craig Willis 9 Craig Hampson 1 Will Davis (replaced by Jordan Els, 40 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 68 mins) 3 Craig Trenier (replaced by George Davis, 65 mins) 4 Dave McKern (replaced by Ben West, 55 mins) 5 Harry Casson 6 Kieran Murphy (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 70 mins) 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid ©

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Jordan Els 18 George Davis 19 Ben West 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Nathan Fowles 22 Lewis Jones 23 Elijah Niko

Scorers:

Tries: Kieran Murphy (5 minutes) Matt Cornish (17 minutes) Rayn Smid (46 minutes) Harry Casson (61 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (5, 17, 46, 61 minutes)

Yellow Card: Craig Hampson

Coventry:

15 James Stokes 14 Rob Knox 13 Heath Stevens 12 Rory Jennings 11 Max Trimble 10 Will Maisey 9 Tom Kessell 1 James Gibbons 2 Darren Dawidiuk 3 Gareth Denman 4 Nile Dacres 5 Alex Woolford 6 Adam Peters 7 Luke Wallace 8 Ryan Burrows (c)

Replacements:

16 Joe Buckle 17 Toby Trinder 18 Phil Boulton 19 Senitiki Nayalo 20 Jack Ram 21 Pete White 22 Tony Fenner 23 David Halaifonua

Scorers:

Tries: Darren Dawidiuk (15 minutes) Rory Jennings (31 minutes) Max Trimble (65 minutes) David Halaifonua (77 minutes)

Conversions: Will Maisey (15, 31, 65, 77 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Matthew Carley

Assistant Referees: Lionel Spooner & Darryl Chapman

Attendance: 625

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 14-14 Coventry

Soane’s Kitchen Man of the Match: Jordy Reid

Bedford Blues vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders ground out a crucial victory over Bedford Blues in treacherous conditions to leave Goldington Road with an 18-5 win.

Ben Ward’s side took advantage of a superior set-piece in the first half to build a lead, and it would not be breached in the closing stages as they deservedly registered back-to-back wins in the Greene King IPA Championship.

The wind and rain arrived shortly before kick off and didn’t let off for the entire evening making running rugby virtually impossible, so the Trailfinders relied on their rolling maul to give them the advantage.

Matt Cornish put the visitors in to the lead with just four minutes on the clock as they came flying out of the blocks. A penalty was kicked to the corner by Craig Willis, and from the lineout the maul powered to the line, allowing Cornish to dot down. Willis added the extras to put his side 7-0 ahead.

Bedford responded with 18 minutes on the clock to get themselves on to the scoreboard. They went through the phases in the 22 and then spun the ball wide to Ryan Hutler who beat the last defender to score in the corner. The conversion sailed wide in the wind, ensuring the Trailfinders held a two point advantage.

Willis then extended the lead to five with a penalty just before the half hour mark, and then in the closing stages of the half a crucial moment saw Cornish score his second to put his side in the ascendancy.

A penalty just five metres from the line was again kicked to the corner, and in identical fashion Cornish broke away from the maul to the delight of the visiting supporters. The conversion went just wide, but the Trailfinders went down the tunnel at the break with a 10 point lead.

In those conditions a 10 point advantage was always going to be significant, and the scrum began to shine in the second half with a succession of penalties leading to two yellow cards for the hosts for Josh Buggea and Karl Garside.

A number of penalties were kicked to the corner but the wind meant that the lineouts were going astray and the chances passed by.

Craig Hampson and Reon Joseph combined off the base of a ruck as they looked for an inside pass which would have set the winger free, but again in the rain the ball popped out of his hands.

Craig Willis then kicked his second penalty with just fifteen minutes left to increase the lead to 13 points, and despite Bedford looking for a way back in to the match the Green and Whites kept their try-line intact in the final stages to ensure that they left Bedford with an impressive victory.

The Trailfinders welcome Coventry to Trailfinders Sports Club next Saturday as they eye a third consecutive win to keep up the pressure in the early part of the season.

Bedford Blues:

15. Rich Lane 14. Pat Tapley 13. Ed Coulson 12. Fraser Strachan 11. Ryan Hutler 10. Lewis Robling 9. Alex Day 1. Joe Wrafter 2. Robbie Smith 3. Henry Paul 4. Jordan Onojaife 5. Oli Curry 6. Josh Buggea 7. Joe Atkinson 8. Dan Temm ©

Replacements:

16. Andrew Boye 17. Sean McCarthy 18. Karl Garside 19. Ed Taylor 20. Devante Onojaife 21. Grayson Hart 22. Oskar Hirskyj-Douglas 23. Charlie Reed

Scorers:

Tries: Ryan Hutler (18 minutes)

Yellow Cards: Josh Buggea, Karl Garside

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Tommy Bell 14 James Cordy Redden 13 David Johnston 12 Harry Sloan 11 Reon Joseph 10 Craig Willis 9 Craig Hampson 1 Will Davis 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 50 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills *(replaced by Craig Trenier, 35 mins) 4 Dave McKern 5 Harry Casson 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid ©

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Jake Ellwood 18 Craig Trenier 19 Ben West 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Jordan Burns 22 Peter Lydon 23 Lewis Jones

Scorers:

Tries: Matt Cornish (4, 37 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (4 minutes)

Penalties: Craig Willis (26, 68 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Greg Macdonald

Assistant Referees: Ian Bibey & Fergus Kirby

Fourth Official: Dean Richards

Attendance: 2162

Half Time Score: Bedford Blues 5-15 Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders vs Jersey Reds

Ealing Trailfinders got back to winning ways in style after an eventful 52-38 victory over Jersey Reds at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s side scored seven tries in total to register their first win of the league season, a win that was built on a relentless first half performance which saw them lead 33-0 at the break.

Jersey responded in the second half with six tries of their own to make for an eventful 80 minutes in the West London Autumn sun.

Dave McKern opened the scoring for the hosts after just six minutes to put them in front. A penalty was kicked to the corner and from the rolling maul, McKern broke away to cross the line against his old club. Steven Shingler added the conversion to increase the advantage to seven points.

Shingler then kicked two penalties in quick succession to put his side 13-0 up as the opening quarter drew to a close, and from then until half time the Trailfinders took their performance up a gear to take control of the match.

Alun Walker rumbled over for his 50th Ealing Trailfinders try with 25 minutes on the clock in trademark style as he broke away from a maul to power to the line. That was then quickly followed by James Cordy Redden crossing for an outstanding score on the half hour mark. An attacking lineout put the Trailfinders on the front foot, and an inside ball from Jordy Reid found the winger who was able to race clear from 20 metres.

It got even better for Cordy Redden just two minutes after as he dived over in the right hand corner again to secure the bonus point. After going through the phases in the 22 there was an overlap on the right, and quick hands found him to bring up 30 points for the hosts as half time approached.

Shingler then kicked his third penalty with the final play of the half to increase the lead to 33-0, a commanding position as the teams headed down the tunnel.

Jersey came out firing in the second half and scored after just two minutes as they looked to get back in to the match. Leroy Van Dam broke the defensive line and passed to Kyle Hatherell who had a free run in to the corner.

The Trailfinders responded straight away to regain control as Will Davis marked his return to Vallis Way with a try. A five metre scrum gave the hosts the platform, and the ball was popped up to the prop from the following phase who picked a great line to score under the posts. Shingler’s conversion increased the lead to 40-5 with half an hour remaining.

The visitors were thriving on loose ball as the game began to open up, and with searing pace in the back-line they began to take advantage. Van Dam capitalised on an opportunity to score their second, but once more the Trailfinders responded. A penalty allowed them to kick in to the corner, and once again Alun Walker broke off the back of a maul as he scored his second of the match.

Jersey then scored twice in quick succession as they registered a deserved four-try bonus point. Van Dam dotted down before Auguy Slowik also dived over for identical tries as once again loose ball ended up in their hands, and all of a sudden the lead was cut down to 19 points.

Matt Cornish brought up the half century of points for the hosts with just five minutes remaining as another rolling maul allowed him to score, and Shingler’s conversion saw the scoreboard read 52-26.

Jersey still had two tries left in them in the closing stages, with Will Homer pouncing on a grubber kick to complete his hat-trick before Jack MacFarlane went over from close range to round off the scoring.

The ball was then smashed in to touch to confirm a 52-38 victory after a breathless 80 minutes, and with another big test against Bedford Blues next weekend, a timely confidence boost was secured by the Trailfinders.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Tommy Bell 14 James Cordy Redden 13 David Johnston (replaced by Pat Howard, 50 mins) 12 Harry Sloan 11 Reon Joseph 10 Steven Shingler 9 Craig Hampson (replaced by Jordan Burns, 75 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Will Davis, 25 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 65 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by George Davis, 70 mins) 4 Dave McKern 5 Harry Casson (replaced by Ben West, 55 mins) 6 Kieran Murphy (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 55 mins) 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Will Davis 18 George Davis 19 Ben West 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Jordan Burns 22 Craig Willis 23 Pat Howard

Scorers:

Tries: Dave McKern (6 minutes) Alun Walker (23, 53 minutes) James Cordy Redden (30, 33 minutes) Will Davis (45 minutes) Matt Cornish (75 minutes)

Conversions: Steven Shingler (6, 30, 45, 75 minutes)

Penalties: Steven Shingler (11, 17, 40 minutes)

Jersey Reds:

15 Auguy Slowik 14 Jack Stapley 13 George Spencer 12 Mark Best 11 Leroy Van Dam 10 Greg Dyer 9 Will Homer 1 Roy Godfrey 2 Nic Dolly 3 Alec Clarey 4 Kyle Hatherell 5 Rory Battle 6 Conor Joyce 7 Max Argyle © 8 Josh Bainbridge

Replacements:

16 Jack MacFarlane 17 Harry Morley 18 Zei Alexis 19 Charlie Beckett 20 Jake Upfield 21 Luc Jones 22 Brendan Cope 23 James Newey

Scorers:

Tries: Kyle Hatherell (42 minutes) Leroy Van Dam (51, 57 minutes) Auguy Slowik (61 minutes) Will Homer (78 minutes) Jack MacFarlane (80 minutes)

Conversions: Greg Dyer (42, 57, 61, 78 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Sara Cox

Assistant Referees: Richard Haughton & Gareth Holsgrove

Attendance: 762

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 33-0 Jersey Reds

Soane’s Kitchen Man of the Match: Elliot Millar Mills

Cornish Pirates vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders suffered a disappointing defeat on the opening day of the Greene King IPA Championship season as they fell 30-10 to Cornish Pirates at Mennaye Field.

The West Londoners were uncharacteristically lethargic throughout and failed to live up to their previous performances in the Cup, being beaten by a dominant Pirates side who never looked like surrendering their lead.

The hosts started strongly and took the lead inside the first 10 minutes with a try from Maliq Holden. A penalty from Javier Rojas Alvarez came back off the post but after the ball was cleared it fell in to the hands of Fa’atiga Lemalu who smashed his way through the defence and he had Holden on his shoulder who had a clear run to the line.

Their fast start continued with another try just four minutes later to the delight of the home supporters. On the counter attack they grubbered the ball through, and it bounced up perfectly for Nicolas De Battista who dotted the ball down. Alvarez’s conversion put his side 12-0 in front after just 12 minutes.

The Trailfinders then created a number of chances as they looked to get back in to the match, but they lacked the finishing prowess which is normally so firmly associated with them and the opportunities were missed.

Alun Walker and Rayn Smid combined in the midfield and set Kieran Murphy free just outside the 22, however the final pass to Nathan Fowles went forward to allow the Pirates to escape.

Jack Tovey then created space for Smid again as Jordy Reid carried past a number of defenders, but a fumble gave the hosts the scrum.

Alvarez increased the Pirates’ lead to 15 points on the 20 minute mark with a penalty which saw Craig Willis sent to the sin-bin as the afternoon got even tougher for the Trailfinders.

David Johnston got the Green and Whites on the scoreboard with a penalty from 40 metres as they looked for some reward, but a huge setback saw the Pirates cross the try-line in the final play of the first half to increase their advantage.

They continued to look dangerous with ball in hand, and a break deep in the 22 allowed Brett Beukeboom to bundle his way over, followed by Alvarez adding the extras to give his side a 22-3 lead at the break.

The Trailfinders came flying out of the blocks in the second half and increased the intensity significantly as they started to make crucial metres, however despite coming close on a number of occasions there was to be more frustration with Alvarez kicking another penalty to take the hosts’ lead up to 22 points.

Then a series of scrums deep in the Pirates 22 which included a whole host of penalties seemed to be getting the visitors some joy and a penalty try seemed inevitable, but they managed to hack the ball away as it spat out of the side to keep their try-line intact.

Jordan Burns then created a piece of magic with a sensational individual try to give the visitors some hope. The scrum-half picked up the ball from the base of a ruck and sniped his way past four defenders from 50 metres out to race over the line. Steven Shingler’s conversion cut the lead to 15 points with 15 minutes remaining in the Penzance sunshine.

As the Trailfinders began to chase the game with an eye on a memorable comeback, it was the Pirates who were next on the scoreboard to confirm their opening day win. A penalty was kicked to touch, and the rolling maul rumbled towards the line which allowed Calum Patterson to break away and score.

That proved to be the last try of the match and despite plenty of endeavour the Trailfinders were unable to break what was an impressive home defence, as the ball was smashed in to the stands to give the Pirates a bonus-point win.

Ben Ward’s men now face Jersey Reds next Saturday in their first home match of the league campaign as they look for a big response to a frustrating afternoon in Cornwall.

Cornish Pirates:

15 AJ Cant 14 Alex O’Meara 13 Callum Patterson 12 Nicolas De Battista 11 Maliq Holden 10 Javier Rojas Alvarez 9 Alex Schwarz 1 Jack Andrew 2 Tom Cowan-Dickie 3 Jay Teach 3 Danny Cutmore 5 Brett Beukeboom © 6 Fa’atiga Lemalu 7 John Stevens 8 Will Wilson

Replacements:

16 Tom Channon 17 Marlen Walker 18 Craig Mitchell 19 Matt Bolwell 20 James McRae 21 Rhodri Davies 22 Will Cargill 23 Robin Wedlake

Scorers:

Tries: Maliq Holden (7 minutes) Nicolas De Battista (11 minutes) Brett Beukeboom (39 minutes) Callum Patterson (71 minutes)

Conversions: Javier Rojas Alvarez (11, 39 minutes)

Penalties: Javier Rojas Alvarez (20, 51 minutes)

Yellow Card: Craig Mitchell

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston (replaced by Tommy Bell, 70 mins) 14 James Cordy Redden 13 Jack Tovey 12 Pat Howard 11 Reon Joseph 10 Craig Willis (replaced by Steven Shingler, 50 mins) 9 Nathan Fowles (replaced by Jordan Burns, 45 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Will Davis, 40 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 40 mins) 3 Craig Trenier (replaced by Elliot Millar Mills, 40 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson (replaced by Dave McKern, 30 mins) 5 James Cannon (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 60 mins) 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid ©

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Will Davis 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Dave McKern 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Jordan Burns 22 Tommy Bell 23 Steven Shingler

Scorers:

Tries: Jordan Burns (65 minutes)

Conversions: Steven Shingler (65 minutes)

Penalties: David Johnston (31 minutes)

Yellow Card: Craig Willis

Match Officials:

Referee: Adam Leal

Assistant Referees: Craig Maxwell-Keys & Philip Watters

Half Time Score: Cornish Pirates 22-3 Ealing Trailfinders

Attendance: 1772

Man of the Match: Nicolas De Battista

London Irish vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders ended the Greene King IPA Championship season with a 33-12 defeat to London Irish after a dramatic match at the Madejski Stadium.

Ben Ward’s men were unfortunate to be on the end of a misleading result after creating a number of opportunities which could have seen an entirely different scoreboard.

The hosts made the perfect start and went in front after just two minutes with a try from Brendan Macken. A loose clearance gave Irish front foot ball, and after Albert Tuisue broke the line he passed wide to the centre who beat the last defender to score in the corner. Jacob Atkins converted from the touchline to give them a 7-0 advantage.

Irish continued their dominant start and scored their second try with 10 minutes on the clock to go further ahead. A long kick gave Alivereti Veitokani acres of space, and he raced away from 60 metres to score an impressive try as the home crowd continued to celebrate. The conversion went wide but the Champions held a 12 point lead in the opening stages.

The Trailfinders then woke up and scored a brilliant try to get back in to the match. A penalty was kicked in to the 22 and after going through the phases the ball spun to Reon Joseph who broke through three defenders and dotted down to get the visitors on the scoreboard. Peter Lydon added the conversion to cut the deficit to just five points.

Joseph, who has been in sensational form then went just inches away from bringing his side level. Once more he stepped past four Irish players as he entered the 22, but he was brought down just short and then an ambitious pass found touch as the hosts escaped.

Irish were forced to absorb plenty of pressure from the Trailfinders for the remainder of the first half, but after shutting the visitors out they extended their lead with another opportunistic try. Topsy Ojo entered the 22 and an overlap opened up on the left hand side, allowing him to pass to Albert Tuisue who dived over the line. Atkins again converted as the lead went back up to 12 points.

Then came a crucial moment just before the break as Ward’s men put themselves right back in contention. Teofilo Paulo was sent to the sin-bin for the hosts, and they were punished with a try in the final play of the half. A set move from the back of a lineout created some space back on the short side, and Laurence May fizzed a perfect pass to Segundo Tuculet who crept over in the corner. The conversion went just wide, but the Trailfinders were now just seven behind as the half time whistle blew.

The Trailfinders kept up the momentum early in the second half and went close to drawing level straight away. From the top of a lineout the ball was spun to Laurence May who kicked over the top to Segundo Tuculet. The centre drew in the final defender and had Rayn Smid on the inside but his pass was agonisingly forward and the referee gave Irish the put-in.

Ben Landry then made a barn-storming run as he pounced on Max Davies’ pass and charged towards the line, but the frustration grew as from the resulting phase a knock on let Irish off the hook once again.

Against the run of play Irish then proved how clinical they can be with a try on the hour mark to regain control of the match. As the Trailfinders looked to play out of their own 22 a mix up saw the ball pop out from a collision, and it bounced up for Matt Williams who showed his footballing skills to kick ahead and score. The conversion from Atkins took their lead up to 14 points.

Ward’s men refused to lie down and were next on the scoreboard, but it was disallowed in what was the match deciding moment. Max Davies was able to bundle over to score his first try for the club from close range, but we came back for an earlier infringement which saw Harry Casson red carded and the try was chalked off.

The Trailfinders continued to battle bravely but Irish ended strongly with the advantage of an extra man, and Fergus Mulchrone wrapped up the win after going over from the base of a scrum to score. Stephen Myler’s conversion put their lead up to 33-12, and from the kick off they smashed the ball out to confirm their victory before the trophy presentation.

The two teams meet again next weekend in the Championship Cup Final at Trailfinders Sports Club in what promises to be another huge occasion, tickets are still available and can be purchased by clicking this link.

London Irish:

15 Alivereti Veitokani, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Brendan Macken, 12 Fergus Muclhrone (c), 11 Matt Williams, 10 Jacob Atkins, 9 Brendan McKibbin, 1 Harry Elrington, 2 Motu Matu’u, 3 Pat Cilliers, 4 Barney Maddison, 5 Teofilo Paulo, 6 Albert Tuisue, 7 Conor Gilsenan, 8 Matt Rogerson

Replacements:

16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Lovejoy Chawatama, 18 Manasa Saulo, 19 Sebastian de Chaves, 20 Jake Schatz, 21 Scott Steele, 22 Stephen Myler

Scorers:

Tries: Brendan Macken (2 minutes) Alivereti Veitokani (10 minutes) Albert Tuisue (30 minutes) Matt Williams (60 minutes) Fergus Mulchrone (80 minutes)

Conversions: Jacob Atkins (2, 30, 60 minutes) Stephen Myler (80 minutes)

Yellow Card: Teofilo Paulo

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon (replaced by Howard Packman, 60 mins) 14 Reon Joseph 13 Segundo Tuculet 12 Lewis Jones (replaced by Ben Williams, 60 mins) 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Laurence May 9 Ryan Foley 1 Jack O’Connell (replaced by Matt Beesley, 60 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 70 mins) 3 Ben Betts 4 Ben Landry (replaced by Harry Casson, 55 mins) 5 Tom Denton (c) 6 Max Davies 7 George Edgson (replaced by Rayn Smid, 10 mins) 8 Will Safe

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Matt Beesley 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Harry Casson 20 Rayn Smid 21 Ben Williams 22 Howard Packman

Scorers:

Tries: Reon Joseph (15 minutes) Segundo Tuculet (40 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (15 minutes)

Red Card: Harry Casson

Match Officials:

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Assistant Referees: Neil Chivers & Gareth Holsgrove

Fourth Official:

Television Match Official: Sean Davey

Half Time Score: London Irish 19 – 12 Ealing Trailfinders

Man of the Match: Alivereti Veitokani

Ealing Trailfinders vs Bedford Blues

Ealing Trailfinders rampaged their way to a relentless 54-21 victory over Bedford Blues at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men scored eight tries as they dominated the entire 80 minutes to register another impressive win as their fantastic end of season form continues.

The Trailfinders made an electric start and had the bonus point secured within the first half an hour, with the first try coming from Rayn Smid after just 10 minutes. A five metre scrum saw the hosts given a number of penalties in succession, and they played from the advantage by spreading the ball wide. Kieran Murphy then picked a great line and offloaded to Smid who was able to dot the ball down from close range. Craig Willis added the conversion to give his side a 7-0 advantage.

Will Harries then scored two tries in as many minutes as the Green and Whites took control of the match in the opening quarter. A Jordan Burns break on half way saw him skip past three defenders, and he drew in the full back before passing outside to Harries who had a clear run to the line. Willis was on target again as the lead grew again.

Just two minutes later Harries crossed again to the delight of the home supporters who were enjoying some impressive rugby in the sun. Bedford were looking to get on the front foot and were going through the phases on half way, but a looping pass was intercepted by the Welshman and he ran under the posts from 50 metres to score try number three. Willis’ conversion put the hosts 21-0 up after just 20 minutes.

Bedford responded immediately to score their first points of the afternoon with a try from Dean Adamson. They had the ball deep in the 22 and spun the ball out to Adamson who stepped inside past four defenders to dive over the line. Will Hooley’s conversion cut the deficit to 14 points.

The Trailfinders reasserted their control and went further ahead just before the half hour mark as they also secured the bonus point with try number four. They worked their way up to the line and then a trademark zipping pass from Craig Willis found James Cordy Redden on the wing who finished powerfully in the corner. The conversion went just wide but the lead was now a dominant 19 points.

It got even better before half time as a wonder try from Reon Joseph put the result beyond doubt. A scrum on the hosts’ try-line was spun straight to the 19-year-old, and he skipped past the entire Bedford defence and showed his incredible pace to score a try which caused the home supporters to erupt. Willis kicked the conversion and his side then headed down the tunnel with a convincing 33-7 advantage at the break.

Bedford started the second half well and scored after just five minutes as they looked to start a comeback. A penalty was kicked to the corner, and James Lennon dummied from the base of the maul to dive over the line. Hooley added the extras as the visiting supporters got some optimism with 35 minutes remaining.

The Trailfinders however were in no mood to allow Bedford back in to the game, and responded with a try straight away to keep the momentum going. A penalty was smashed deep in to their 22, and with the maul powering over Jordan Burns was able to snipe away to score a deserved try. Willis, who had his kicking boots on brought up the 40 point mark with the conversion.

Try number seven came on the hour mark as Ward’s relentless side continued to dominate in a fantastic performance. Pat Howard and Lewis Jones broke through the line as the centre pairing kept getting better, and after being brought down just short the ball was recycled to Kieran Murphy who was never going to be stopped from just three metres out. The conversion from Willis extended the lead to 47-14.

Alun Walker marked his 100th appearance for the club with a try to bring up the half century of points with just one minute remaining. In trademark fashion the hooker broke away from a maul and dotted down for yet another score. Willis scored the hosts’ final points of the game as the conversion sailed through the posts.

Bedford scored a consolation try as Pat Tapley stepped his way to the line from half way but it proved too late as the referee blew the final whistle to confirm a 54-21 win for the Trailfinders.

The Green and Whites now head to the Madejski Stadium to sign off the Championship season against London Irish before welcoming the same opponents for the Cup Final on Saturday May 4th.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Will Harries 14 Reon Joseph 13 Lewis Jones 12 Pat Howard (replaced by David Johnston, 75 mins) 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Jordan Burns (replaced by Ben Williams, 65 mins)1 Jordan Els (replaced by Matt Beesley, 45 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 45 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Ben Betts, 45 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson (replaced by Tom Denton, 50 mins) 5 Harry Casson 6 Ben Landry 7 Rayn Smid (c) (replaced by Max Davies, 60 mins) 8 Kieran Murphy

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Matt Beesley 18 Ben Betts 19 Tom Denton 20 Max Davies 21 Ben Williams 22 David Johnston

Scorers:

Tries: Rayn Smid (12 minutes) Will Harries (17, 20 minutes) James Cordy Redden (27 minutes) Reon Joseph (40 minutes) Jordan Burns (48 minutes) Kieran Murphy (59 minutes) Alun Walker (79 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (12, 17, 20, 40, 59, 79 minutes)

Yellow Card: Will Harries

Bedford Blues:

15. Rich Lane 14. Ryan Hutler 13. Ed Coulson 12. Lewis Robling 11. Dean Adamson 10. Will Hooley 9. James Lennon 1. Sean McCarthy (c) 2. Charlie Clare 3. Alex Penny 4. Ed Taylor 5. Will Carrick-Smith 6. Oli Curry 7. Huw Worthington 8. Jarad Williams

Replacements:

16. Jacob Fields 17. Hayden King 18. Ben Cooper 19. Justin Blanchet 20. Josh Buggea 21. Harry Sheppard 22. Pat Tapley

Scorers:

Tries: Dean Adamson (23 minutes) James Lennon (45 minutes) Pat Tapley (80 minutes)

Conversions: Will Hooley (23, 45, 80 minutes)

Yellow Card: Oli Curry

Match Officials:

Referee: Dean Richards

Assistant Referees: Peter Brunt & Robert Warburton

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 33-7 Bedford Blues

Attendance: 1636

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Jordan Burns

Jersey Reds vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders produced a stunning performance to keep themselves firmly in the hunt at the top of the Greene King IPA Championship after a comprehensive 45-14 victory over Jersey Reds at Stade Santander International.

Ben Ward’s side scored seven tries in their best all-round display of the season as they stunned the Channel Islanders with a dominant showing from minute one to 80.

The Trailfinders made the perfect start in the Jersey sunshine and opened the scoring after just three minutes. Kieran Murphy made a storming break as he battered through three defenders and passed outside to Andrew Durutalo, who drew in the final man before passing back to Murphy who was able to run straight under the posts. Craig Willis added the conversion to give his side a 7-0 lead.

The start got even better for the visitors just four minutes later as they scored their second try after seven minutes. Reon Joseph and James Cordy Redden combined well down the left wing and used their pace to work a way around the outside of the defence, and had David Johnston alongside who had a clear run to the line. Willis was again on target to extend the advantage to 14 points.

Jersey however responded immediately after a frantic opening to the match. After a penalty was kicked to the corner they went through the phases in our 22, and a half break saw Liam Howley snipe his way to the line from 10 metres out. Former Trailfinders Aaron Penberthy cut the lead to seven points with his successful conversion.

The Green and Whites were in rampant mood and restored their 14 point lead straight from the re-start. A penalty was awarded, and from the five metre lineout the maul powered over the line to allow Alun Walker to stretch over from close range. Willis was on form with the boot and his third conversion extended the lead.

The bonus point was then secured before the half hour mark as Kieran Murphy went over for his second try of the afternoon. A series of penalties saw the Trailfinders get up to the five metre line, and once again the ever-reliable rolling maul was unstoppable as it allowed Murphy to break away to score. The conversion was just wide, but the lead was now up to 19 points after a sensational first 30 minutes.

Craig Willis scored try number five just before the break as the Trailfinders continued their momentum in to half time. A five metre scrum saw the ball zipped straight to the fly-half, and he stepped back inside to score under the posts. He converted his own try to send his team down the tunnel with a sensational 33-7 lead at the break.

The second half started in the same way as the first as the West Londoners continued to dominate on the Channel Island. Jordan Burns and James Cordy Redden made a break from a scrum and after being brought down short the visitors went through the phases which allowed Andrew Durutalo to bundle over for try number six. The conversion came back off the post but the Trailfinders were flying with some of their best rugby of the season.

It continued to get better for Ward’s side, who got try number seven on the hour mark to bring up 40 points. Lewis Jones intercepted and offloaded to Burns but he was brought down, however a smart pop up to Murphy saw the move progress. The flanker was tackled but his offload to Pat Howard meant that the centre marked his return to the match day squad with a deserved try. Willis converted as the lead kept growing.

Jersey got a consolation try with 10 minutes remaining as Jake Upfield crossed from close range. They had the ball deep in the 22 and went through the phases before the substitute managed to navigate his way to the line. Penberthy converted to cut the deficit to 14-45.

The Trailfinders closed out the remaining minutes and smashed the ball in to the stands to confirm a stunning win in hugely impressive fashion.

Jersey Reds:

15 Brett Herron 14 Jason Worrall 13 Apakuki Ma’afu 12 Mark Best 11 Leroy Van Dam 10 Aaron Penberthy 9 Liam Howley 1 Roy Godfrey 2 Jack Macfarlane 3 Leeroy Atalifo 4 Jerry Sexton (c) 5 Dave McKern 6 Kyle Hatherell 7 Conor Joyce 8 Janco Venter

Replacements:

16 Nick Selway 17 Harry Morley 18 Sam Rodman 19 Rory Bartle 20 Jake Upfield 21 Will Homer 22 James Newey

Scorers:

Tries: Liam Howley (13 minutes) Jake Upfield (65 minutes)

Conversions: Aaron Penberthy (13, 65 minutes)

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston (replaced by Will Harries, 65 mins) 14 Reon Joseph 13 Lewis Jones 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Jordan Burns (replaced by Ryan Foley, 70 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Matt Beesley, 70 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 70 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by George Davis, 65 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson (replaced by Ben Landry, 60 mins) 5 Harry Casson 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Andrew Durutalo 8 Rayn Smid (c) (replaced by Tom Denton, 65 mins)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Matt Beesley 18 George Davis 19 Tom Denton 20 Ben Landry 21 Ryan Foley 22 Will Harries

Scorers:

Tries: Kieran Murphy (3, 26 minutes) David Johnston (7 minutes) Alun Walker (15 minutes) Craig Willis (38 minutes) Andrew Durutalo (44 minutes) Pat Howard (57 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (3, 7, 15, 38, 57 minutes)

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Half Time Score: Jersey Reds 7 – 33 Ealing Trailfinders

Man of the Match: Kieran Murphy

Attendance: 1806

Ealing Trailfinders vs Nottingham

Ealing Trailfinders got their second consecutive victory after a 35-19 bonus point win over Nottingham at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s side scored five tries in a dominant display to get a deserved win thanks to scores from David Johnston, Harry Sloan, Alun Walker, Matt Cornish and Kieran Murphy.

Both sides struggled to create any clear cut chances in the opening stages as they adapted to the unusually warm conditions, but the Trailfinders steadily grew in to the game and went in front after 15 minutes with the first try of the match.

Craig Willis’ inch-perfect cross kick was gathered brilliantly by Reon Joseph who towered above his opposite number to claim the ball, and he popped it up to David Johnston who dived over the line in the corner. Willis added the extras from the touchline to put his side 7-0 in front.

Jordan Burns was then denied a try on the half hour mark as it appeared he had put the hosts further ahead. Harry Sloan broke the line and passed to Burns who used his electric pace to race past the defence, but just as he was in the process of putting the ball down he was chopped down which resulted in a knock on. The referee checked for a high tackle but judged the tackle legal and Nottingham escaped.

The Trailfinders got a deserved second try just before the break to extend their lead. A five metre scrum gave them the perfect platform, and the ball was spun straight to Harry Sloan on the crash ball who powered his way over the line from close range. Willis again converted as the Green and Whites went down the tunnel with a 14 point advantage.

The hosts made the perfect start to the second half as an early try confirmed their dominance and gave them full control of the match. Reon Joseph broke down the wing but was brought down just short, however play came back for an earlier penalty which was kicked to the corner. From the lineout the maul went all the way to the line and Alun Walker was there to score try number three. Willis again added the extras as the lead stretched to 21 points.

Nottingham made an immediate response and scored their first points of the afternoon virtually straight from the restart. They got a penalty and kicked it deep in to the Trailfinders’ 22, and after going through the phases Shane Buckley was able to cross for a try. Shane O’Leary converted to get the visitors a much needed way back in to the game.

Harry Sloan then went within inches of his second try which would have secured the bonus point when he capitalised on Johnston’s break to carry up to the line, but his offload was knocked on and the chance was missed.

The bonus point was however secured on the hour mark as Matt Cornish went over for try number four. Another penalty inside the 22 was kicked to the corner and the maul, which functioned well all afternoon allowed the hooker to break away and score. Willis was once more on target with the conversion to put the Trailfinders 28-7 ahead.

Nottingham again hit back with a try from the restart as they cut the deficit. They had sustained pressure in the 22 and spun the ball wide to Jordan Coghlan who ran over the line unattended. The conversion went wide but Ward’s side still held a 16 point lead.

Kieran Murphy put the result beyond doubt with try number five for the hosts with just 10 minutes left on the clock. The Trailfinders were camped inside the Nottingham 22 and the back-rower picked a great line to catch the defence off guard and was able to jog to the line from 20 metres out. Willis’ conversion moved his team 35-12 in front as we approached the closing stages.

Nottingham went over for a consolation try with just two minutes remaining to score the last points of the match. O’Leary’s miss-pass allowed Billy Robinson to go straight through the defence as it opened up straight in front of him. The conversion went over and the visitors then chased the bonus point in the last play of the game.

The Trailfinders managed to close out the final stages to confirm a 35-19 win in the Spring sunshine at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Reon Joseph 13 Lewis Jones 12 Harry Sloan 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Craig Willis (replaced by Laurence May, 70 mins) 9 Jordan Burns (replaced by Ryan Foley, 70 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Matt Beesley, 70 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Mark Tampin, 60 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson 5 Tom Denton (replaced by Harry Casson, 60 mins) 6 Ben Landry (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 60 mins) 7 Kieran Murphy 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Matt Beesley 18 Mark Tampin 19 Harry Casson 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Ryan Foley 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: David Johnston (16 minutes) Harry Sloan (38 minutes) Alun Walker (42 minutes) Matt Cornish (60 minutes) Kieran Murphy (71 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (16, 38, 42, 60, 71 minutes)

Nottingham:

15. Sean Scanlon 14. Jack Spittle 13. Luke Peters 12. Gearoid Lyons 11. Billy Robinson 10. Shane O’Leary 9. Darryl Veenendaal 1. Aniseko Sio 2. Ben Brownlie 3. Billy Walker 4. Tom Holmes (C) 5. Seb Cecil 6. Shane Buckley 7. Will Owen 8. Jordan Coghlan

Replacements:

16. Luke Cole 17. Jamie Jack 18. Oisin Heffernan 19. Llewelyn Jones 20. Josh Poullet 21. George Cox 22. Murray McConnell

Scorers:

Tries: Shane Buckley (45 minutes) Jordan Coghlan (64 minutes) Billy Robinson (78 minutes)

Conversions: Shane O’Leary (45, 78 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Fergus Kirby

Assistant Referees: Dean Richards & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Darryl Chapman

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 14 – 0 Nottingham

Attendance: 731

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Harry Sloan

Coventry vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailinders got back to winning ways with a hugely impressive 61-20 victory over Coventry at Butt’s Park Arena.

Ben Ward’s side scored nine tries in a clinical attacking display as they rampaged to a dominant win in the Midlands. A memorable hat-trick from Reon Joseph as well as tries from Seb Stegmann, Kieran Murphy, Jordan Burns, David Johnston, Craig Willis and Lewis Jones secured the emphatic win.

The visitors made an lightning quick start and raced in front after just seven minutes with a try from Reon Joseph. Craig Willis’ inch-perfect cross-kick was gathered brilliantly in the air by the winger who then used his searing pace to run clear from 40 metres. Willis added the conversion from the touchline to give his side an early seven point advantage.

Coventry looked for an immediate response but the clinical Trailfinders would extend their lead on the 15 minute mark with another exceptional try. David Johnston broke through the defensive line and had Joseph on hand, who this time decided to pass to Seb Stegmann who had a free run to the line in the corner. Willis again added the extras as Ben Ward’s side looked back to their best.

Will Maisey capitalised on some ill-discipline from the visitors to kick two penalties in quick succession as the lead was cut to eight points, but the Trailfinders hit back to take control of the match before the break.

Kieran Murphy scored their third try just before the 30th minute to extend the lead further. A penalty was kicked to the corner and the forwards mauled towards the line before Murphy was able to break away to go over the line from close range. Willis, who clearly had his kicking boots on put the conversion between the posts to give the Green and Whites a 21-6 advantage.

Jordan Burns then went over to secure the bonus point in front of a stunned home crowd. Murphy, who was outstanding throughout bulldozed over the defence and offloaded to Burns who was never going to be caught from just 10 metres out. The conversion was once again added as the lead went up to 22 points.

Seb Stegmann went close to try number five when he capitalised on a huge hole in the defence to charge towards the line but from the following phase a knock on allowed the hosts to escape.

Coventry got a lifeline with the final play of the first half to get back in to the game. Tom Kessell broke and was brought down just short, but he had Will Maisey on his shoulder who dived under the posts for their first try of the match. He converted his own try as the West Londoners went down the tunnel with a 28-13 lead at the break.

The Trailfinders started the second half in the same way that they began the match with a huge amount of intent and they took just three minutes to go over for the first score of the half. A maul powered to the line and when it was brought down a free play saw Willis kick in behind, which bounced perfectly for David Johnston to dive under the posts. The fly-half again converted to extend the lead back to 22 points.

The momentum continued and Reon Joseph scored another wonder try just before the hour to put the result beyond doubt. He broke down the wing and played a clever one-two with Jordan Burns before using footwork to step past the final defender. The conversion went narrowly wide but the visitors were now up to the 40 point mark.

Try number seven followed 10 minutes later as Craig Willis capped off a great display with a deserved try. A set move from the base of a scrum on half way saw Lewis Jones and Seb Stegmann combine down the wing and took out the last defender to give the fly-half a clear run to the line. He converted his own try to take the lead over 30 points.

It got better for the Trailfinders as Lewis Jones was next to go over the line in the closing stages. The centre stripped his opponent in defence and then showed superb pace to run through from 50 metres. The extras were again added by Willis as the visitors brought up the half century of points.

Reon Joseph then completed his hat-trick with just five minutes left to mark a memorable day for the teenager. Laurence May stepped his way past a number of defenders on the right wing and then passed inside to the winger who was able to bundle over the line. The extras from Willis took the Trailfinders over the 60 point mark to the delight of the travelling supporters.

Coventry closed the scoring with a consolation try from Sam Tuitupou in the final minute, but the referee’s whistle signalled a fantastic day as the Trailfinders got back to form in stunning style.

Coventry:

15 David Halaifonua 14 Andy Bulumakau 13 Rob Knox 12 Will Owen 11 Max Trimble 10 Will Maisey 9 Tom Kessell 1 Gerard Ellis 2 Scott Tolmie 3 Phil Bolton (c) 4 James Voss 5 George Oram 6 Adam Peters 7 Ben Nutley 8 Dan Faleafa

Replacements:

16 Phil Nilsen 17 James Gibbons 18 Donald Brighouse 19 Scott Russell 20 Jack Ram 21 Pete White 22 Sam Tuitupou

Scorers:

Tries: Will Maisey (40 minutes) Sam Tuitupou (78 minutes)

Conversions: Will Maisey (40, 78 minutes)

Penalties: Will Maisey (18, 23 minutes)

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Reon Joseph 13 Lewis Jones (replaced by Laurence May, 70 mins) 12 Harry Sloan 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Craig Willis 9 Jordan Burns (replaced by Ryan Foley, 70 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Matt Beesley, 70 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 62 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Mark Tampin, 53 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson 5 Harry Casson 6 Ben Landry (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 53 mins) (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 62 mins) 7 Rayn Smid © 8 Kieran Murphy

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Matt Beesley 18 Mark Tampin 19 Rohan O’Regan 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Ryan Foley 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Reon Joseph (7, 56, 75 minutes) Seb Stegmann (14 minutes) Kieran Murphy (26 minutes) Jordan Burns (32 minutes) David Johnston (43 minutes) Craig Willis (66 minutes) Lewis Jones (68 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (7, 14, 26, 32, 43, 66, 68, 75 minutes)

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Half Time Score: Coventry 13 – 28 Ealing Trailfinders

Attendance: 2522

Richmond vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders suffered a disappointing defeat as a late try gave Richmond a 24-22 victory at the Athletic Ground.

Ben Ward’s men overturned a 12 point deficit to lead 22-17 with just five minutes left but a last gasp score meant they hosts secured a crucial win.

Richmond made a strong start and took an early lead through Rob Kirby when he kicked a 30 metre penalty after just seven minutes to give them a 3-0 advantage.

That was just after the Trailfinders had made a couple of half chances with breaks from Will Harries and Lewis Jones, but in the blustery conditions it made handling very difficult and resulted in knock-ons.

Richmond made the early pressure pay as they scored the first try of the match to go further in front. They went through 29 phases in the Trailfinders’ 22 and eventually went over as Will Goodrick-Clarke drove past the final defender from just one metre out. Kirby’s conversion extended their lead to 10 points.

That seemed to wake the visitors up and they immediately responded with a try from Matt Cornish. Will Harries made another break and was brought down, but in the process a yellow card was given to Richmond’s Luc Jones for killing the ball. From the resulting penalty the ball was kicked to the corner and Cornish was able to dot down from the back of the maul. The conversion went wide but the deficit was now just five points.

Harries, who was busy early on then broke through the defensive line again as he continued to look dangerous on the right wing but as the ball came back a Richmond hand disrupted the attack and allowed them to clear.

Kirby then had another penalty attempt due to the visitors struggling at scrum-time, but the ball held up in the wind and the scoreboard remained 10-5 as we approached the half hour mark.

The Green and Whites then upped the tempo in the closing stages of the first half as they looked to take the lead. Two big carries from Jordan Els and Kieran Murphy took them right up to the try-line but a knock on allowed Richmond to escape once more.

The Trailfinders continued to have most of the possession but with the final play of the half a crucial moment saw Cameron Mitchell intercept and run under the posts from 50 metres out to put the hosts further in front. Kirby’s conversion put them 17-5 ahead at the break after a frustrating opening half for the visitors.

Ben Ward made a number of substitutions at half time and they paid off as a side full of intent re-emerged from the changing room. Richmond had a scrum just five metres from the line but a penalty for the Trailfinders signaled a change in the tide and sparked a revival.

They had the ball 30 metres from the line and David Johnston floated a perfect pass over the top of the defence to Kieran Murphy on the wing who had the power to run through for the first points of the second half. The conversion went wide but they were now firmly back in the match with half an hour remaining.

The Trailfinders then completed the comeback with an incredible spell which saw them score twice in a minute to take the lead. Rayn Smid pounced on a loose ball and met a completely open back field so he had the pace to run through unattended and dive under the posts. Peter Lydon’s conversion made it 17-17 to level the score, and they took the lead just 30 seconds later.

Alun Walker gathered the restart and passed straight to Andrew Durutalo who again met a 50 metre patch of grass with no cover and he coasted through to put his side in front in dramatic circumstances. The conversion blew wide in the wind but the Trailfinders were ahead for the first time in the match.

Despite going in front the visitors struggled to build on that and it would be Richmond who took the lead with just eight minutes left to the delight of the home crowd. They had a series of scrums deep in the Trailfinders’22, and spun the ball straight to Henry Cheeseman who ran over the final defender to score. Kirby added the extras to put Richmond two points ahead.

Ward’s side then went within inches of scoring as Lewis Jones chased Kieran Murphy’s kick but an unfortunate bounce meant that Richmond escaped. The Trailfinders kept coming however and went deep in to their 22 with the final play but were stripped of the ball and the hosts smashed the ball out to confirm a frustrating defeat.

Richmond:

15 Rob Kirby 14 Jono Woodward 13 Cameron Mitchell 12 Oliver Evans 11 Henry Cheeseman 10 Lewis Dennett 9 Luc Jones 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke 2 Ross Grimstone 3 Craig Trenier 4 Will Warden 5 Chris Davies 6 Jesse Liston 7 Toby Saysell 8 Jake Parker

Replacements:

16 Caldon Pike 17 Jeremy Cunnew 18 Dave Spelman 19 Max Crawford 20 Andrew Boyce 21 Jamie Gibbs 22 Ben Cook

Scorers:

Tries: Will Goodrick-Clarke (15 minutes) Cameron Mitchell (40 minutes) Henry Cheeseman (72 minutes)

Conversions: Rob Kirby (15 , 40, 72 minutes)

Penalties: Rob Kirby (7 minutes)

Yellow Card: Luc Jones

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon 14 Will Harries (replaced by David Johnston, 40 mins) 13 Lewis Jones 12 Harry Sloan (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 40 mins) 11 Reon Joseph 10 Laurence May 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 45 mins) 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Matt Beesley, 65 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 45 mins) 3 Mark Tampin (replaced by Elliot Millar Mills, 45 mins) 4 Jordan Onojaife (replaced by Sam Dickinson, 65 mins) 5 Harry Casson 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Andrew Durutalo 8 Rayn Smid ©

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Matt Beesley 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Sam Dickinson 20 Rohan O’Regan 21 Jordan Burns 22 David Johnston

Scorers:

Tries: Matt Cornish (19 minutes) Kieran Murphy (48 minutes) Rayn Smid (55 minutes) Andrew Durutalo (56 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (55 minutes)

Penalties:

Referee: Simon Harding

Half Time Score: Richmond 17 – 5 Ealing Trailfinders

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