Bedford Blues vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders started 2019 with a frustrating defeat as they fell to Bedford Blues at Goldington Road.

Ben Ward’s men enjoyed most of the possession and territory but lacked a clinical edge, eventually seeing them suffer a 23-18 loss.

The Blues started strongly and took a 10 point lead after just seven minutes to race in to an early advantage.

Will Hooley kicked a penalty from in front of the posts to edge them in front before a loose clearance allowed them to counter attack, with a smart offload seeing Chris Czekaj dive over the line in the corner. Hooley’s touchline conversion gave them the perfect start in front of their own supporters.

The Trailfinders responded in the best possible way with Jordan Burns scoring just a minute later to cut the deficit. Dave Johnston gathered a high ball and stepped his way past three defenders and then drew in the final man to release the former Bedford scrum half who raced clear from just outside the 22. Craig Willis added the extras to bring the visitors right back in to the match.

Ben Ward’s side then dominated possession as they looked to go in to the lead despite playing up the slope in the first half, relying on their rolling maul to put them on the front foot. An offload from Harry Sloan sent his centre partner Pat Howard through the middle but he was eventually hauled down 10 metres from the line and Bedford stole the ball back.

The pressure eventually paid off, with Willis kicking a penalty from right in front of the posts to bring his side level on the scoreboard.

Just when it looked as if the Trailfinders would start to turn the pressure in to points they were undone by some ill-discipline in the final stages of the first half, allowing Bedford to take the lead just before the break.

Two offside penalties in as many minutes were kicked by American international Hooley, who ensured the Blues would end the half with a 16-10 advantage.

The West Londoners made a good start to the second half and had a great chance to take the lead in the first minute after turning over the re-start. The ball was immediately spun wide to Laurence May who dived for the line but a last ditch tackle held him up. The referee went back for an earlier infringement, but the ball spat out of the side and the Blues cleared.

From the next phase however the Green and Whites got a penalty in front of the posts, and Willis kicked straight through the posts to cut the gap to three points with half an hour remaining.

Another opportunity followed as a five metre lineout mauled towards the line for the visitors, but just as it began to get the momentum a knock on gave the Trailfinders more frustration.

Eventually the Trailfinders took a deserved lead on the hour mark as Matt Cornish rumbled over the line from close range. A penalty was kicked to the corner and the rolling maul drove over the line, allowing the hooker to dot the ball down. The conversion went just wide but the visitors now held a two point lead.

In frustrating fashion Bedford re-took the lead straight away as a loose ball bounced up to Lane who beat two defenders before offloading to Dean Adamson who was able to dive over the line under the posts. Hooley added the conversion to restore their five point lead.

Seb Stegmann and Rayn Smid then combined down the wing as they looked for a crucial try to bring the score level but the opportunity never arrived and Bedford saw out the closing stages to record a hard fought victory.

Bedford Blues:

15. Rich Lane 14. Ryan Hutler 13. Lewis Robling 12. Chris Czekaj 11. Dean Adamson 10. Will Hooley 9. Lee Dickson (c) 1. Sean McCarthy 2. Jacob Fields 3. Alex Penny 4. Ed Taylor 5. Mark Flanagan 6. Oli Curry 7. Josh Buggea 8. Jarad Williams

Replacements:

16. Tadgh McElroy 17. Hayden King 18. Ben Cooper 19. Will Carrick-Smith 20. Justin Blanchet 21. James Lennon 22. Jake Sharp

Scorers:

Tries: Chris Czekaj (7 minutes) Dean Adamson (66 minutes)

Conversions: Will Hooley (7, 66 minutes)

Penalties: Will Hooley (3, 37, 40 minutes)

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Pat Howard (replaced by Laurence May, 40 mins) 12 Harry Sloan 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Jordan Burns 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Alex Lunberg, 55mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 Mark Tampin (replaced by Elliot Millar Mills, 60 mins) 4 Jordan Onojaife 5 Harry Casson 6 Rohan O’Regan 7 Jordy Reid (replaced by Ben Landry, 40 mins) 8 Rayn Smid ©

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Alex Lundberg 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Ben Landry 20 Max Davies 21 Ryan Foley 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Jordan Burns (8 minutes) Matt Cornish (62 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (8 minutes)

Penalties: Craig Willis (29, 46 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Michael Hudson

Assistant Referees: Shane Lewis & Ian Bibey

Fourth Official: Timothy Allatt

Half Time Score: Bedford Blues 16 – 10 Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders vs Jersey Reds

Ealing Trailfinders made a winning return to the Greene King IPA Championship with a hard fought 19-14 victory over Jersey Reds at Trailfinders Sports Club in dramatic circumstances.

Ben Ward’s side trailed by seven points in the second half but tries from Alun Walker and Peter Lydon sent the home supporters in to raptures as the West Londoners moved joint top of the table.

The Trailfinders enjoyed most of the possession and territory in the first half but were up against a stern Jersey defence who held firm. The hosts had a number of opportunities in the early stages but they weren’t clinical and the Reds took advantage.

A lineout from the visitors was overthrown but it bounced up fortuitously to Will Homer who had the pace to run clear from outside the 22 to silence Trailfinders Sports Club. Former Trailfinder Aaron Penberthy converted from in front of the posts to give the Reds a 7-0 lead.

Jordy Reid then looked to have scored the hosts’ first try of the afternoon but a knock on let Jersey off the hook. Harry Sloan drove towards the line and offloaded to the back-rower in the corner but in the act of putting the ball down it slipped out of his hands.

The Green and Whites hammered away at the try-line and eventually they got their reward in the 47th minute of the first half. A sequence of penalties took them right up to the line, and Alun Walker broke away from the back of the maul to score. Peter Lydon added the extras with the final play of the half to make it 7-7 at the break.

The Reds started the second half strongly and went in front straight away courtesy of Leroy Van Dam. Penberthy but a sky-high ball up in the air and it came back down straight in to the arms of the winger who was able to run clear with no defenders in front of him. Penberthy again converted to put the Reds seven points in front.

Peter Lydon was then brought down within inches of the line as the hosts looked for a path back in to the match, but from the resulting lineout they rumbled towards their second try of the game.

Another rolling maul powered to the line and Walker was there yet again to cut the deficit to just two points. The conversion went wide in the wind, but the Trailfinders were now right back in the match.

Both sides battled with enormous physicality as the heat raised significantly as well as plenty of niggle, and as we entered the final 10 minutes the Trailfinders went in front to cue wild celebrations from the home fans.

A penalty was quick tapped by Craig Willis and went within inches of the line, before the ball was spun to Peter Lydon who picked a great line in the middle of the pitch to dive under the posts. He converted his own try to give his side a five point advantage.

Jersey then looked for a way back in to the match but Ward’s men defended their line admirably and held out to smash the ball in to the stands to confirm a huge win ahead of the festive break.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon, 14 Seb Stegmann, 13 Pat Howard, 12 Harry Sloan, 11 James Cordy Redden, 10 Laurence May (replaced by Craig Willis, 40 mins) 9 Jordan Burns, 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 60 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 58 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills, 4 Ben West, 5 Harry Casson, 6 Jordy Reid, 7 Andrew Durutalo (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 15 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish, 17 Alex Lundberg, 18 George Davis, 19 Jordan Onojaife, 20 Rohan O’Regan, 21 Ryan Foley, 22 Craig Willis

Scorers:

Tries: Alun Walker (40, 56 minutes) Peter Lydon (69 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (40, 69 minutes)

Yellow Card: Matt Cornish

Jersey Reds:

15. Auguy Slowik, 14. Jack Stapley, 13. Apakuki Ma’afu, 12. Mark Best, 11. Leroy Van Dam, 10. Aaron Penberthy, 9. Will Homer, 1. Roy Godfrey (capt), 2. Charlie Maddison, 3. Leeroy Atalifo, 4. Jerry Sexton, 5. Dave McKern, 6. Rory Bartle, 7. Max Argyle, 8. Janco Venter

Replacements:

16. Nick Selway, 17. Harry Morley, 18. Zi Alexis, 19. Charlie Beckett, 20. Kyle Hatherell, 21. Hilton Mudariki, 22. James Newey.

Scorers:

Tries: Will Homer (12 minutes) Leroy Van Dam (42 minutes)

Conversions: Aaron Penberthy (12, 42 minutes)

Yellow Cards: Mark Best, Zi Alexis, Roy Godfrey

Match Officials:

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Assistant Referees: George Selwood & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Nick Marshall

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 7 – 7 Jersey Reds

Attendance: 1114

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Jordy Reid

Ealing Trailfinders vs Richmond

Ealing Trailfinders secured top seeding in the Championship Cup after an impressive 33-0 victory over Richmond at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s side scored five tries in the torrential rain to make sure they will host a Quarter Final, rounding off the pool stages in outstanding fashion. A hat-trick from Matt Cornish as well as tries from Andrew Durutalo and Alex Lundberg gave the West Londoners the win.

In tricky conditions due to the wind and rain both sides opened the match with a number of errors as they got used to the weather, but the Trailfinders were first to cross the try-line on the 20 minute mark.

After a number of half chances, in particular when Ryan Foley and James Cordy Redden combined to break in the midfield the hosts went back to their reliable rolling maul to secure the first score.

A series of penalties from the dominant scrum took them inside the Richmond 22, and an enormous rolling maul from 20 metres out powered to the line, allowing Matt Cornish to break away and score. Craig Willis converted from the touchline to give his side a 7-0 lead.

Lorcan Dow was then sent to the sin-bin for the visitors after a number of infringements on their own try-line, but despite dominating possession the hosts were failing to convert the chances in to points.

A number of entries in to the Richmond 22 resulted in mauling opportunities but the visitors were holding firm and despite a second yellow card, this time for Timmy Walford they would stop the Trailfinders from crossing the line for the remainder of the first half, with the hosts going down the tunnel holding a 7-0 lead at the break.

The Trailfinders looked like a different team in the second half and came out full of energy which resulted in a try after just two minutes. A penalty took them up to the line, and Cornish was again at the back of a maul to power over for his second of the match. Laurence May converted to double the lead, and just 10 minutes later he would complete his hat trick.

In identical fashion a penalty was kicked to the corner, and the hooker steamed over the line to extend the advantage to 19 points.

With results going their way the Trailfinders knew that a bonus point try may well be enough to get top seeding, and they got their fourth try with just over five minutes remaining courtesy of Andrew Durutalo. The American flanker powered over from inches out to make sure they would get the full set of match points, and May converted to give the hosts a 26 point cushion.

In the final play of the game Alex Lundberg bundled over the line after a dominant carry, and May added the extras to secure a 33-0 victory at Trailfinders Sports Club.

That result means the Trailfinders will host a Quarter Final on the first weekend of February, with the opponents to be confirmed.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Pat Howard 12 Harry Sloan 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis (replaced by Laurence May, 40 mins) 9 Ryan Foley 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 48 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 70 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by George Davis, 70 mins) 4 Ben West 5 Harry Casson (replaced by Jordan Onojaife, 60 mins) 6 Jordy Reid (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 58 mins) 7 Andrew Durutalo 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Alex Lundberg 18 George Davis 19 Jordan Onojaife 20 Rohan O’Regan 21 Jordan Burns 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Matt Cornish (17, 42, 53 minutes) Andrew Durutalo (73 minutes) Alex Lundberg (80 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (17 minutes) Laurence May (42, 73, 80 minutes)

Richmond:

15 Rhodri Adamson 14 Imad Bouhedjeur 13 Morgan Ward 12 Cam Hudson 11 Ben Rath 10 Ben Cook 9 Callum Grant (c) 1 Timmy Walford 2 Rupert Freestone 3 Danny Parkinson 4 Rui D’Orey 5 Myles Scott 6 Adam Lee 7 Lorcan Dow 8 Harison Edwards

Replacements:

16 Gino Corradi 17 Alex Wood 18 Fraser Wem 19 Harry Davies 20 Will Crow 21 Freddie Gabbitass 22 Rory Damant

Yellow Cards: Lorcan Dow, Timmy Walford

Match Officials:

Referee: Neil Chivers

Assistant Referees: Gareth Holsgrove & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Tim Bailey

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 7 – 0 Richmond

Attendance: 591

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Matt Cornish

Jersey Reds vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders secured a famous victory in atrocious conditions to leave Jersey with a hard-fought 20-16 win at Stade Santander International.

It was an afternoon for defence in scarcely believable rain, and the Trailfinders put in incredible commitment to make it four wins in a row in mightily impressive fashion to halt Jersey’s 10 match winning run.

The Trailfinders were playing with the wind behind them in the first half and they got off to the best possible start with a try after just five minutes.

A scrum deep in the Jersey 22 gave the visitors the perfect platform, and after going through the phases they spun the ball wide to Seb Stegmann who was in acres of space to score in the corner. Craig Willis converted from the touchline to give his side an early 7-0 lead.

The West Londoners were using the conditions to their advantage with a series of box kicks which were causing havoc for the Jersey backs, and after being caught offside a penalty was kicked between the posts by Willis to extend the advantage to 10 points.

Jersey then began to come back in to the match after a spell of pressure and crossed for their first try on the 20 minute mark. A break in the midfield took them up to the line, and they relied on the forwards to finish off the chance with second-rower Dave McKern driving over from close range. Aaron Penberthy added the extras to cut the deficit to just three points.

James Cordy Redden had a chance with 10 minutes remaining in the first half as he intercepted a loose pass and looked to race clear but the Jersey defence scrambled back to deny him a try on his return to the side.

Penberthy then levelled the score with a penalty from in front of the posts but the Trailfinders responded with a late try to take the lead before the break.

A penalty was kicked to the corner and from the lineout Alun Walker completed a one-two with Ben West to scramble over from five metres out. Willis’ impressive touchline conversion ensured that his side went down the tunnel with a seven point advantage at the break after a badly tempered opening 40 minutes.

The Trailfinders were playing against the wind in the second half and found out how tough it would be to clear their lines in the wind when a box kick came straight back over their heads. From the resulting play Penberthy dropped back in to the pocket and kicked a drop goal, cutting the gap to four points.

The former Trailfinder had his kicking boots on and a successful penalty just two minutes later meant that Ben Ward’s side held just a one point advantage with 30 minutes remaining.

Willis then restored the four point lead with a much needed penalty after a huge shove from the forwards at scrum time, and then for the final quarter the weather turned. Astonishing gusts of wind were making the game virtually unplayable as both sides struggled to keep hold of the ball.

The Trailfinders’ front-row fronted up and began to get dominance up front which allowed them to escape danger on numerous occasions, but the Reds wouldn’t die down as they continued to go in search of a winning try.

Ward’s side held firm to grind out an outstanding victory which was summed up by the last phase of play where they defended for their lives to secure themselves a place in the Championship Cup Quarter Final, which cued enormous celebrations on the touchline.

Jersey Reds:

15 Auguy Slowik 14 Jason Worrall 13 Apakuki Ma’afu 12 Mark Best 11 Leroy Van Dam 10 Aaron Penberthy 9 Will Homer 1 Roy Godfrey (c) 2 Jack Macfarlane 3 Leeroy Atalifo 4 Charlie Beckett 5 Dave McKern 6 Max Argyle 7 Rory Bartle 8 Janco Venter

Replacements:

16 Nick Selway 17 Harry Morley 18 Sam Rodman 19 Jake Upfield 20 Kyle Hatherell 21 Calum Waters 22 Brett Herron

Scorers:

Tries: Dave McKern (22 minutes)

Conversions: Aaron Penberthy (22 minutes)

Penalties: Aaron Penberthy (33, 48 minutes)

Drop Goal: Aaron Penberthy (44 minutes)

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Pat Howard 12 Harry Sloan 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Jordan Burns 1 Jordan Els 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 45 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills 4 Harry Casson 5 Tom Denton (replaced by Ben West, 25 mins) 6 Kieran Murphy (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 38 mins) 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Alex Lundberg 18 George Davis 19 Ben West 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Ryan Foley 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Seb Stegmann (6 minutes) Alun Walker (36 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (6, 36 minutes)

Penalties: Craig Willis (10, 53 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Michael Hudson

Assistant Referees: Peter Brunt & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Samuel Phillips

Half Time Score: Jersey Reds 10 – 17 Ealing Trailfinders

Attendance: 943

Ealing Trailfinders vs London Scottish

Ealing Trailfinders recorded their third consecutive victory in the Championship Cup over a spirited London Scottish side at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men scored five tries in a 29-15 win as they set up a pool decider against Jersey Reds next weekend on the Channel Island.

The visitors started strongly and scored the first points of the afternoon courtesy of a Jacob Perry penalty from 30 metres, but from then the Trailfinders dominated the first half as they built a convincing lead.

A spell of three tries in 10 minutes saw them take control of the match, with the first coming from Alun Walker who extended his try-scoring run. The ball went loose from a lineout and some great hands in the middle set up an overlap on the right wing which allowed the hooker a clear run to the line. The conversion went wide but the hosts had the lead, which was quickly extended by Will Harries.

The scrum was functioning extremely well which was resulting in penalty after penalty, and with the ball kicked to the corner Ben Ward’s side had a great position to build from. In similar fashion to the first try, they went through the hands and found the Welshman in the corner who dived over the line unattended.

Jordan Burns then extended the lead after the scrum-half capitalised on a strong run from Rayn Smid to gather the flanker’s offload and race to the line, whilst Josh Barton was sent to the sin bin in the process.

The Trailfinders secured the try bonus point before the break as Jordan Els mauled over the line in the closing stages. A fierce maul progressed all of 20 metres before the South African marked his first start for the club with a five pointer to put his side 22-3 up at the break.

Jordan Burns got the hosts’ fifth try on the 50 minute mark as once more he was the beneficiary of an impressive offload, this time from Harry Sloan who was making his first appearance of the season. The physical centre smashed his way over the gain line and released the scrum half who had the pace to run clear. Craig Willis added the extras to extend the lead to 26 points.

The Scots then took control in the final quarter as a late rally saw them score twice in the last 20 minutes. Jordan Brodley mauled over the line on the hour mark, and Josh Barton dummied from the base of a scrum with just five minutes left to give Dave Morris’ men a deserved late score.

The Green and Whites then closed out the match with some more impressive defensive sets as they secured another victory.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Will Harries 13 Guy Armitage (replaced by Harry Sloan, 50 mins) 12 Craig Willis 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Laurence May 9 Jordan Burns 1 Jordan Els (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 60 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by George Davis, 75 mins) 4 Harry Casson (replaced by Ben West, 70 mins) 5 Tom Denton 6 Jordy Reid 7 Andrew Durutalo (replaced by Kieran Murphy, 60 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Alex Lundberg 18 George Davis 19 Ben West 20 Kieran Murphy 21 Ryan Foley 22 Harry Sloan

Scorers:

Tries: Alun Walker (8 minutes) Will Harries (14 minutes) Jordan Burns (19, 52 minutes) Jordan Els (35 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (35, 52 minutes)

Yellow Cards: Jordy Reid, Ben West

London Scottish:

15 Elliott Obatoyinbo 14 Miles Mantella 13 Richie Vernon 12 Ben Mosses 11 Taino Goveia 10 Jacob Perry 9 Josh Barton 1 Jimmy Litchfield 2 Jared Saunders 3 Phil Cringle 4 Theo Vukasinovic 5 Byron Hodge 6 Miles Wakeling 7 Matt Eliet 8 Luke Frost

Replacements:

16 Billy Harding 17 Jordan Brodley 18 Dino Waldren 19 Mark Bright 20 Ed Hoadley 21 Rory Jennings 22 Fraser Lyle

Scorers:

Tries: Jordan Brodley (60 minutes) Josh Barton (77 minutes)

Conversions: Rory Jennings (77 minutes)

Penalties: Jacob Perry (2 minutes)

Yellow Cards: Josh Barton, Dino Waldren

Match Officials:

Referee: Alexander Thomas

Assistant Referees: Shane Lewis & Nick Marshall

Fourth Official: Benjamin Wilde

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 22 – 3 London Scottish

Attendance: 602

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Elliot Millar Mills

London Scottish vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders secured their second consecutive victory as they ground out a hard fought 31-19 victory over London Scottish at the Athletic Ground.

Tries from Rohan O’Regan, David Johnston, Will Harries and a double from Alun Walker ensured they left with a bonus point to make it 10 out of 10 in the last fortnight in Richmond and wrestle themselves back in to contention in the Championship Cup.

The Trailfinders started brightly and scored the first points of the match after just five minutes. A string of penalties saw them kick right up to the Scottish line, and the hosts were unable to stop the maul after Byron Hodge had been sent to the sin bin which allowed Alun Walker to drive over the line. Laurence May converted from the touchline to give his side an early 7-0 lead.

Rohan O’Regan scored his first try for the club on the 15 minute mark as the visitors continued to dominate the opening stages of the match. A penalty saw them enter the 22, and after going through the phases Craig Willis was dragged down just five metres from the line before O’Regan picked a great line to cut straight through the defence. May again converted to extend the lead to 14 points.

Dave Johnston then went over for the third try in spectacular fashion to put Ben Ward’s side in firm control of the game. A lineout inside the 22 went straight through the hands of the backs with a whole host of dummy runners creating space for the full-back who used his pace to dive over in impressive style. May, who had his kicking boots on sent his third conversion sailing through the posts to take the Trailfinders over the 20 point mark.

It looked as if the visitors were going to put the result beyond doubt, however two Scottish tries in the final five minutes of the first half brought them right back in to the match.

The first came from former Trailfinder Miles Mantella to open their account for the evening. They had plenty of possession just outside the 22, and Jacob Perry’s grubber kick bounced up perfectly for Mantella who ran clear to score in the corner. Perry’s conversion cut the deficit to 14 points.

Then in the final play of the half a floating pass was intercepted by Elliott Obatoyinbo who ran away from the half way line to dive under the posts. Perry converted, and the teams went down the tunnel at the break with a real contest on their hands.

The second half began in similar fashion to how the first half ended as Scottish continued their momentum. They scored their third try on the 50 minute mark courtesy of Matt Eliet. The Trailfinders had a lineout deep in the Scottish 22 but it was turned over and Mantella went racing down the pitch. A penalty was then kicked to the corner, and Eliet broke away from the lineout to catch the defence by surprise and score. Crucially, the conversion went wide meaning the Trailfinders held a narrow two point advantage.

Ben Ward’s men then gradually began to wrestle back the momentum as they went back to basics by playing the territory under the floodlights, and they were rewarded on the hour as Alun Walker’s second try secured the bonus point. A penalty gave them a five metre lineout, and in trademark fashion the hooker was at the base of the maul to rumble over the line. The conversion went narrowly wide, but the visitors now led by seven points with just over 15 minutes remaining.

Will Harries then scored an outstanding try with just five minutes left to put the result beyond doubt. With the ball on the half way line the winger sneaked down the short side and used his blistering pace to run away from the defenders to trigger huge celebrations from the visiting supporters. May failed to add the extras, but the lead was extended to 12 points.

The visitors then went through the phases in the final seconds to close out another crucial victory in impressive style.

London Scottish:

15 Joe Luca Smith 14 Miles Mantella 13 Richie Vernon 12 Ben Mosses 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo 10 Jacob Perry 9 Ed Hoadley 1 Jordan Brodley 2 Pete Austin 3 Phil Cringle 4 Theo Vukasinovic 5 Byron Hodge 6 Luke Frost 7 Matt Eliet 8 Mark Bright (c)

Replacements:

16 Jared Saunders 17 Jimmy Litchfield 18 Richard Palframan 19 Miles Wakeling 20 Josh Barton 21 Grayson Hart 22 Fraser Lyle

Scorers:

Tries: Miles Mantella (35 minutes) Elliott Obatoyinbo (38 minutes) Matt Eliet (48 minutes)

Conversions: Jacob Perry (35, 38 minutes)

Penalties:

Yellow Card: Byron Hodge

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Howard Packman (replaced by Lewis Jones, 30 mins) 13 Guy Armitage 12 Craig Willis 11 Will Harries 10 Laurence May 9 Jordan Burns 1 Alex Lundberg (replaced by Jordan Els, 50 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 75 mins) 3 George Davis (replaced by Ben Betts, 60 mins) 4 Ben West 5 Harry Casson (replaced by Tom Denton, 65 mins) 6 Rohan O’Regan (replaced by Kieran Murphy (55 mins) 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jordan Els 18 Ben Betts 19 Tom Denton 20 Kieran Murphy 21 Ryan Foley 22 Lewis Jones

Scorers:

Tries: Alun Walker (4, 60 minutes) Rohan O’Regan (13 minutes) David Johnston (21 minutes) Will Harries (73 minutes)

Conversions: Laurence May (4, 13, 21 minutes)

Yellow Card: Rohan O’Regan

Match Officials:

Referee: Dean Richards

Assistant Referees: William Burton & Simon Park

Fourth Official: Richard Haughton

Half Time Score: London Scottish 14 – 21 Ealing Trailfinders

Attendance: 1041

Richmond vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders got back to winning ways as they secured a hard fought 33-7 victory over Richmond to register their first win of the Championship Cup campaign.

At a blustery Athletic Ground points were always going to be at a premium but tries from Alun Walker, Laurence May, Jordan Els, Jordan Burns and Will Harries ensured that the Trailfinders left with a much-needed bonus point win.

Alun Walker got the Trailfinders off to the perfect start, scoring the first try of the match after just five minutes. A penalty allowed Laurence May to kick to the corner, and in trademark style the hooker broke away from the rolling maul to dot the ball down. May converted to give his side an early 7-0 advantage.

Richmond responded straight away however, with a try from Ronnie McLean to level the score. Three penalties in a row saw them kick right up to the line, and they went through the hands deep in the 22 with an overlap on the right wing which allowed McLean to score in the corner. Ben Cook’s touchline conversion made it 7-7 after just 10 minutes.

Ben Ward’s side then saw a number of opportunities pass them by as they went in search of the next score. Richmond managed to bring down a rolling maul as it appeared to be heading towards the line, and from the following phase Howard Packman went over but was held up as the frustration began to grow.

Neither side managed to get the breakthrough in the remainder of the first half as handling errors cost them, and with a late penalty from Cook going wide it saw the two teams go down the tunnel level on the score board in a low-scoring opening 40 minutes.

The Trailfinders again made a positive start after the break, taking the lead on the 45 minute mark to the relief of their supporters. A lineout deep in the Richmond 22 was gathered by Harry Casson, and after going through the phases a miss pass from Ryan Foley allowed Laurence May to stroll to the line unattended. The fly-half converted his own try to extend the lead to seven points.

Craig Willis then took a flat pass just five metres from the Richmond try line but in the process of being carried over the line by the supporting attackers a knock on saw the hosts escape.

The West Londoners then rallied in the final quarter to run away with the lead after a spell of three tries in 10 minutes.

Jordan Els marked his debut with a try with just over 10 minutes remaining as the visitors took control of the match. A penalty was kicked to the corner and once more the rolling maul rumbled over the line to see Els dive over. The conversion went narrowly wide, but the Trailfinders now had a crucial 12 point lead.

That lead was extended just three minutes later to secure the bonus point, thanks to an outstanding individual try from Jordan Burns. The scrum-half gathered the ball from the base of a ruck and dummied before racing away from 35 metres to dive under the posts and put the result beyond doubt. May added the extras to give his side a further cushion of 19 points.

There was still time for Will Harries to mark his first appearance of the season with a try in the final five minutes. Another maul went up to the line, and the ball was popped up to the Welshman who stepped his way over from close range. May again added the extras as the Trailfinders went past the 30 point mark.

Ben Ward’s men then closed out the match in the final three minutes to secure an impressive win over their local rivals, much to the delight of the visiting fans.

Richmond:

15 Jordan Simpson-Hefft 14 Marcus Webber 13 Morgan Ward 12 Ronnie McLean (c) 11 Jono Woodward 10 Ben Cook 9 Jamie Gibbs 1 Timmy Walford 2 Ross Grimstone 3 Craig Trenier 4 Max Crawford 5 Charlie Lenygon 6 Lorcan Dow 7 Toby Saysell 8 Harison Edwards

Replacements:

16 Rupert Freestone 17 Nathaniel Opedo 18 Dave Spelman 19 Rui D’Orey 20 Ed Milne 21 Callum Grant 22 Lewis Dennett

Scorers:

Tries: Ronnie McLean (11 minutes)

Conversions: Ben Cook (11 minutes)

Yellow Card: Nathaniel Opedo

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Howard Packman 13 Lewis Jones 12 Pat Howard (replaced by Craig Willis, 22 mins) 11 Will Harries 10 Laurence May 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 65 mins) 1 Jake Ellwood (replaced by Jordan Els, 50 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 75 mins) 3 George Davis (replaced by Ben Betts, 60 mins) 4 Harry Casson (replaced by Tom Denton, 50 mins) 5 Ben West 6 Rohan O’Regan 7 Jordy Reid 8 Kieran Murphy (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jordan Els 18 Ben Betts 19 Tom Denton 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Jordan Burns 22 Craig Willis

Scorers:

Tries: Alun Walker (5 minutes) Laurence May (44 minutes) Jordan Els (66 minutes) Jordan Burns (72 minutes) Will Harries (76 minutes)

Conversions: Laurence May (5, 44, 72, 76 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Dean Richards

Assistant Referees: Simon Park & Gareth Holsgrove

Fourth Official: Robert Bourke

Half Time Score: Richmond 7 – 7 Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders vs Jersey Reds

Ealing Trailfinders started the Championship Cup with a defeat after an eventful 34-41 loss to Jersey Reds at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men came away with two points after a late rally to secure a four-try bonus point as well as a losing bonus point with tries coming from Segundo Tuculet, Jake Ellwood, Ben Betts and Jordan Onojaife.

In uncharacteristic style the Trailfinders started slowly and trailed 12-0 after just 10 minutes. Jersey took the lead after Charlie Maddison drove over from a rolling maul deep inside the 22, and straight after Auguy Slowik intercepted a loose pass to race clear and give the visitors control of the match.

The West Londoners then woke up in the second quarter of the match and dominated for the remainder of the first half as they looked for a response. Segundo Tuculet’s try with 20 minutes on the clock brought his side back in to the game as the deficit cut to within one score. Sam Olver’s flat pass released the Argentinian down the left wing, and he had the pace to beat the final defender to score in the corner. Olver’s conversion closed the gap to just five points.

Olver then kicked a penalty to close the deficit even further, and the Trailfinders then went in front as Jake Ellwood powered over the line on the half hour mark. A scrum just five metres from the try-line gave the hosts front-foot ball, and they went through the phases to eventually allow the prop to score from close range. The successful conversion gave the Green and Whites a 17-12 lead.

The lead disappeared with the final play of the first half, as another rolling maul from inside the 22 allowed Nick Selway to break away for the Reds’ third try, but with the conversion going wide the sides went down the tunnel level at half time.

Jersey dominated the opening exchanges of the second half to put themselves in a strong position, as three tries in the third quarter of the game saw them pull away from the Trailfinders.

Yet another rolling maul allowed Charlie Beckett to rumble over the line for the first score of the half, and Brett Herron’s touchline conversion gave them a seven point advantage.

Leroy Van Dam then took advantage of another loose pass, the ball bounced in to his hands and he was able to run to the line from 70 metres out as the lead extended to 14 points. They then put the result beyond doubt as Mark Best scored in the corner from turnover ball, moving them 21 points in front with just 20 minutes to go.

The Trailfinders responded well and scored their third try of the match when Ben Betts battered his way to the line after sustained pressure in the 22, and the hosts began their quest for a bonus point as a consolation.

Jersey kicked another penalty as the clock kept ticking, but Jordan Onojaife then scored the fourth try for the hosts to ensure they didn’t leave the game empty handed. The Trailfinders were going through the phases and edged their way towards the line, before the second-rower gathered just inches away to dot the ball down.

Olver converted, and with the last kick of the game he kicked a vital penalty from 40 metres out to ensure that his side registered two crucial bonus points in a dramatic Cup opener.

The West Londoners head to the Athletic Ground to face Richmond next Saturday as they go in search of their first win in the newly formed competition.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Segundo Tuculet (replaced by Laurence May, 50 mins) 14 Howard Packman 13 Lewis Jones 12 Pat Howard 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Sam Olver 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 60 mins) 1 Jake Ellwood (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 60 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 George Davis (replaced by Ben Betts, 45 mins) 4 Harry Casson (replaced by Ben West, 50 mins) 5 Jordan Onojaife 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Andrew Durutalo (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 70 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Alex Lundberg 18 Ben Betts 19 Ben West 20 Rohan O’Regan 21 Jordan Burns 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Segundo Tuculet (20 minutes) Jake Ellwood (35 minutes) Ben Betts (63 minutes) Jordan Onojaife (76 minutes)

Conversions: Sam Olver (20, 35, 63, 76 minutes)

Penalties: Sam Olver (28, 80 minutes)

Yellow Card: Kieran Murphy

Jersey Reds:

15 Auguy Slowik 14 Jason Worrall 13 James Newey 12 Mark Best 11 Leroy Van Dam 10 Brett Herron 9 Will Homer 1 Roy Godfrey 2 Charlie Maddison 3 Leeroy Atalifo 4 Jerry Sexton (c) 5 Charlie Beckett 6 Max Argyle 7 Rory Bartle 8 Janco Venter

Replacements:

16 Nick Selway 17 Roy Godfrey 18 Sam Rodman 19 Dave McKern 20 Kyle Hatherell 21 Calum Waters 22 Apakuki Ma’afu

Scorers:

Tries: Charlie Maddison (8 minutes) Auguy Slowik (11 minutes) Nick Selway (40 minutes) Charlie Beckett (46 minutes) Leroy Van Dam (52 minutes) Mark Best (61 minutes)

Conversions: Brett Herron (11, 46, 52, 61 minutes)

Penalties: Brett Herron (72 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: J.P. Doyle

Assistant Referees: Gregory Garner & Philip Watters

Fourth Official: Daniel Collins

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 17 – 17 Jersey Reds

Attendance: 497

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Rayn Smid

Nottingham vs Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders saw their seven-match winning run come to an end after a disappointing 42-27 defeat to Nottingham at Lady Bay.

Ben Ward’s side held a narrow 24-22 lead at half time but they were undone in the second half as the hosts rampaged their way to a comprehensive win.

A topsy turvy first half saw the lead change hands a number of times, and the first points of the match came from Jack Spittle as he put Nottingham in front. A lineout on half way went through the hands and the ball found it’s way to the winger who was able to beat the final defender to score in the corner. The conversion went wide, and that seemed to galvanise the visitors as they sparked straight back in to life.

They gathered the re-start and went through over 30 phases of pick and go’s to inch their way towards the line. Jordy Reid was then able to carry over from close range to dot the ball down under the posts. Peter Lydon converted to put his side 7-5 in front.

Nottingham then re-took the lead just three minutes later with another counter attack try, this time from Murray McConnell. A line break saw them get behind the defence and a smart offload found the scrum-half who had the pace to run clear. Former Trailfinder Shane O’Leary converted, before kicking a penalty five minutes later to extend their lead to eight points.

The West Londoners then got back in to the match on the half hour mark with a try from Kieran Murphy. With play moving towards the 22, the flanker picked up at the able of a ruck and bulldozed his way past the defenders before running through to score in impressive fashion. Lydon again converted to cut the deficit to just a point.

In frustrating fashion Nottingham were next on the scoreboard just when it seemed like the Trailfinders were taking control. A clearing kick from the visitors ricocheted off a Nottingham body and bounced up in to the hands of Will Millett who had the pace to run away from over 50 metres. O’Leary added the extras before Ben Ward’s men then rallied to take the lead at the end of the first half.

With play deep in the Nottingham 22 the Trailfinders again went through the phases, and Craig Willis stepped his way past the final defender to score their third try. Lydon converted, and also kicked a penalty with the final play of the half to give his side a 24-22 lead at the break.

Ryan Foley kicked the first points of the second half with a drop goal to extend the lead to five points, but from then on Nottingham dominated as the visitors looked unrecognisable from their recent form.

O’Leary kicked a penalty as they cut the deficit to two points, and then they went in front on the hour mark as Jack Spittle scored his second of the match as he intercepted from 80 metres before racing under the posts. O’Leary added the extras, and they then scored again with 15 minutes remaining to take control.

A number of penalties moved them up towards the try-line, and then a driving maul powered over to allow Jake Farnworth to dot down to put the result beyond doubt. O’Leary took his personal tally up to 17 points with a drop goal on the 75th minute as Nottingham went over the 40 point mark to celebrate an impressive win at Lady Bay.

Nottingham:

15. Sean Scanlon 14. Jack Spittle 13. Will Millett 12. Luke Peters 11. Billy Robinson 10. Shane O’Leary 9. Murray McConnell (c) 1. James Penman 2. Luke Cole 3. Rory Burke 4. Cameron Dolan 5. Llewelyn Jones 6. Seb Cecil 7. Jordan Coghlan 8. Josh Poullet

Replacements:

16. Jake Farnworth 17. Jamie Jack 18. Oisin Heffernan 19. George Cox 20. Will Owen 21. Darryl Veenendaal 22. David Williams

Scorers:

Tries: Jack Spittle (11, 57 minutes) Murray McConnell (20 minutes) Will Millett (31 minutes) Jake Farnworth (69 minutes)

Conversions: Shane O’Leary (20, 31, 57, 69 minutes)

Penalties: Shane O’Leary (27, 54 minutes)

Drop Goal: Shane O’Leary (75 minutes)

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon 14 Segundo Tuculet 13 Guy Armitage 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis (replaced by Sam Olver, 55 mins) 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 70 mins) 1 Jake Ellwood (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 60 mins) 2 Matt Cornish (replaced by Alun Walker, 60 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Ben Betts, 65 mins) 4 Ben West (replaced by Jordan Onojaife, 60 mins) 5 Tom Denton 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Jordy Reid (replaced by Andrew Durutalo, 70 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Alun Walker 17 Alex Lundberg 18 Ben Betts 19 Jordan Onojaife 20 Andrew Durutalo 21 Jordan Burns 22 Sam Olver

Scorers:

Tries: Jordy Reid (15 minutes) Kieran Murphy (29 minutes) Craig Willis (33 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (15, 29, 33 minutes)

Penalties: Peter Lydon (40 minutes)

Drop Goal: Ryan Foley (49 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe

Assistant Referees: Simon Adams & Simon Park

Fourth Official: Dan Parrott

Half Time Score: Nottingham 22 – 24 Ealing Trailfinders

Ealing Trailfinders vs Coventry

Ealing Trailfinders produced their best performance of the season so far to inflict a heavy 60-25 defeat on Coventry at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men scored nine tries in total as they registered their seventh consecutive victory to stay top of the Greene King IPA Championship table.

Pat Howard crossed for a double whilst Alun Walker, Segundo Tuculet, Rayn Smid, James Cordy Redden, Peter Lydon, Jordy Reid and Ollie Stedman all dotted the ball down during a memorable 80 minutes in the Autumn sunshine.

The raced out of the blocks and scored their first try after just 90 seconds with Pat Howard diving over the line. The returning Kieran Murphy carried through the defence after gathering the bas from the top of a lineout, and he offloaded to the centre who ran clear from outside the 22 to score under the posts.

Alun Walker then drove over the line from a trademark rolling maul after a penalty was kicked to the corner and gathered by the hooker, before Howard scored his second from long range after intercepting and running the length of the pitch. That extended the lead to 19-3 with just 15 minutes on the clock.

Coventry then responded with a counter attack as they had the ball deep in the 22 and spun the ball wide to Anthony Fenner who had the pace to dive over in the corner for their first try of the match.

That seemed to have settled the visitors but the Trailfinders hit back in devastating fashion to secure the bonus point on the half hour mark with a spell of three tries in four minutes. Peter Lydon took an awkward high ball and drew in the final defender before unleashing a looping pass to Segundo Tuculet who had a clear run to the line for his first try for the club.

That was then followed by a remarkable try from Rayn Smid who marked his 50th appearance with a superb score. Murphy and Cordy Redden combined with a pair of neat offloads from 80 metres out and then Smid was on hand to race away as the try came straight from the restart.

Cordy Redden then scored their sixth try of the half and continued his try-scoring run to all but secure the win as a disguised lineout ball allowed an inside ball to find the winger in acres of space. Tom Denton gathered the ball from the top of Walker’s throw and found Jordy Reid who fooled the Coventry defence by passing inside to the winger who flew through the gap.

Coventry scored just before half time to bring themselves back in to the match as Max Trimble stepped his way to the line, but Lydon’s penalty with the final play of the half sent the teams went down the tunnel after a breathless opening 40 minutes which saw the Trailfinders hold a 41-13 lead.

Lydon started the second half in similar fashion to the first half with an early try. The full-back pounced on a wide ball from Craig Willis to score in the corner, but the visitors hit back when Trimble scored his second straight after from inside the 22 as the game began to open up.

Jordy Reid then powered over the line on the hour mark from the base of a scrum to bring up the half century, but Coventry captain Heath Stevens then sneaked his way to the line from a lineout inside the 22 to give the visitors a four-try bonus point.

Ollie Stedman then rounded off the scoring with the final play of the game after powerful carry from close range meant that the back-rower couldn’t be stopped, and Lydon’s sixth conversion brought up the 60 point mark to cue huge celebrations from the home supporters.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon 14 Segundo Tuculet 13 Guy Armitage 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis (replaced by Sam Olver, 60 mins) 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 65 mins) 1 Alex Lundberg (replaced by Jake Ellwood, 50 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 Ben Betts (replaced by Elliot Millar Mills, 35 mins) 4 Ben West (replaced by Jordan Onojaife, 75 mins) 5 Tom Denton 6 Kieran Murphy (replaced by Ollie Stedman, 65 mins) 7 Jordy Reid 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jake Ellwood 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Jordan Onojaife 20 Ollie Stedman 21 Jordan Burns 22 Sam Olver

Scorers:

Tries: Pat Howard (2, 12 minutes) Alun Walker (8 minutes) Segundo Tuculet (27 minutes) Rayn Smid (28 minutes) James Cordy Redden (31 minutes) Peter Lydon (51 minutes) Jordy Reid (60 minutes) Ollie Stedman (79 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (2, 12, 28, 31, 60, 80 minutes)

Penalties: Peter Lydon (40 minutes)

Yellow Card: Segundo Tuculet

Coventry:

15 Tony Fenner 14 Rob Knox 13 Heath Stevens (c) 12 Sam Tuitupou 11 Max Trimble 10 Jake Sharp 9 Pete White 1 James Gibbons 2 Phil Nilsen 3 Luc Jeannot 4 Tom Jubb 5 George Oram 6 Dan Faleafa 7 Ben Nutley 8 Ben Adams

Replacements:

16 Scott Tolmie 17 Charlie Beech 18 Jack Higgins 19 Adam Peters 20 Jack Preece 21 Tom Kessell 22 Junior Bulumakau

Scorers:

Tries: Anthony Fenner (22 minutes) Max Trimble (34, 54 minutes) Heath Stevens (70 minutes)

Conversions: Jake Sharp (70 minutes)

Penalties: Jake Sharp (4 minutes)

Yellow Card: Heath Stevens

Match Officials:

Referee: Dean Richards

Assistant Referees: Ian Bibey & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Ben Wilde

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 41 – 13 Coventry

Attendance: 740

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Pat Howard

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