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

Ealing Trailfinders moved to the top of the Greene King IPA Championship table after a 38-32 victory over Richmond at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men secured their sixth consecutive bonus point victory as they crossed for six tries courtesy of Rayn Smid, James Cordy Redden, Alun Walker, Craig Willis and a double from Seb Stegmann.

As has been the case for the most of the campaign the Trailfinders raced in to an early lead and scored three tries in the first quarter, with the first one coming after just five minutes.

A penalty was kicked to the corner as the West Londoners went in search of the first score, and with the maul powering towards the line the ball was spun straight to Rayn Smid who was never going to be stopped from just two metres out. Craig Willis converted in blustery conditions to give his side a 7-0 advantage.

Two chances then passed by as Segundo Tuculet broke through the middle but a knock on gave the ball back to the visitors, before a kick in behind was chased down by James Cordy Redden but an unfortunate bounce meant the ball went dead.

The next opportunity was then taken as Cordy Redden continued his try-scoring run on the 15 minute mark. Scrum-half Ryan Foley stepped to the right from the breakdown and his disguised offload inside allowed the winger to race straight clear from outside the 22 to dive under the posts. Willis again converted to put the Trailfinders 14 points in front.

That lead was then extended to 21 points as try number three followed straight away. Jordy Reid made a powerful break through the middle and with quick ball Craig Willis grubbered in behind for Seb Stegmann to score in the corner.

However Richmond then responded with two tries in quick succession to bring themselves back in to the match. Rob Kirby stepped his way to the line to get their first points of the afternoon and then Will Goodrick-Clarke drove over from close range to cut the Trailfinders’ lead to seven points.

Two tries in the final minutes before half time gave the Trailfinders a comfortable lead and also secured the bonus point in the process.

A penalty was kicked to the corner, and in trademark fashion Alun Walker broke off the maul to score the fourth try to the delight of the 912 in attendance.

The fifth try came seconds after as Elliot Millar Mills powered through the Richmond defence to take play inside their 22, and then the ball went through the backs to find Stegmann for his second try of the match. The conversion was just wide but the hosts now had a 31-14 lead.

With the final play of the half Richmond crossed for their third try as they ended the opening 40 minutes strongly. They had a scrum deep in the 22, and from the set play they found Jordan Simpson-Hefft who scored in the corner to cut the gap to 12 points at the break.

Richmond’s Will Goodrick-Clarke was sent to the sin bin early in the second half and the Trailfinders made the most of it to extend their advantage. After going through the phases the hosts had the ball right on the Richmond line, and Craig Willis stepped his way past three defenders to sneak his way to the line.

Another opportunity followed as Tuculet again showed his quick feet to create a two-on-one on the right wing but a knock on meant Richmond escaped.

On the hour mark Richmond rallied as they looked for a late comeback and Tim Walford tapped a penalty quickly to take the defence by surprise and score from close range. With the clock ticking away they then got their fifth try with Chris Davies driving over from a maul to cut the lead to just nine points. Crucially the conversion went wide, meaning they needed two scores in the last two minutes.

A big set of defence stopped Richmond from crossing again, however with the last play of the game Rob Kirby earned them a losing bonus point with a penalty from in front of the posts.

That signalled the end of the match, and the home supporters celebrated a sixth win in a row as the Trailfinders moved to the top of the league with Coventry heading to Vallis Way next weekend.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Segundo Tuculet (replaced by Laurence May, 70 mins) 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Lewis Jones 12 Guy Armitage 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Ryan Foley (replaced by Jordan Burns, 70 mins)1 Alex Lundberg (replaced by Jake Ellwood, 52 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 65 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Ben Betts, 52 mins) 4 Ben Landry (replaced by Jordan Onojaife, 40 mins) 5 Tom Denton 6 Ben West 7 Jordy Reid (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 75 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jake Ellwood 18 Ben Betts 19 Jordan Onojaife 20 Rohan O’Regan 21 Jordan Burns 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Rayn Smid (5 minutes) James Cordy Redden (14 minutes) Seb Stegmann (18, 35 minutes) Alun Walker (32 minutes) Craig Willis (52 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (5, 14, 18, 52 minutes)

Penalties:

Yellow Card: Tom Denton

Richmond:

15 Rob Kirby 14 Jono Woodward 13 Cam Mitchell (c) 12 Ronnie McLean 11 Jordan Simpson-Hefft 10 Rory Damant 9 Luc Jones 1 Will Goodrick-Clarke 2 Jason Phipps 3 Craig Trenier 4 Will Warden 5 Myles Scott 6 Jake Parker 7 Jesse Liston 8 Chris Davies

Replacements:

16 Rupert Freestone 17 Timmy Walford 18 Danny Parkinson 19 Andrew Boyce 20 Harison Edwards 21 Lewis Dennett 22 Sam Edgerley

Scorers:

Tries: Rob Kirby (21 minutes) William Goodrick Clarke (28 minutes) Jordan Simpson-Hefft (39 minutes) Timmy Walford (63 minutes) Chris Davies (79 minutes)

Conversions: Rob Kirby (21, 28 minutes)

Penalties: Rob Kirby (80 minutes)

Yellow Card: Will Goodrick-Clarke

Match Officials:

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Assistant Referees: Ian Bibey & Lionel Spooner

Fourth Official: Daniel Collins

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 31 – 19 Richmond

Attendance: 912

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Alun Walker

Ealing Trailfinders got their fourth consecutive win after a 41-35 triumph in a try-fest against Cornish Pirates at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men raced in to a 41-16 lead with an hour on the clock after an impressive attacking display and had the bonus point secured by half time but the Pirates came back in the final quarter to make it a nerve racking ending.

Guy Armitage got the first try of the match with a fantastic score on the 10 minute mark. A free ball allowed Craig Willis to kick across field, and the centre towered over the defender to score in the corner. Willis converted to put the hosts 7-0 in front but it was the Pirates who responded to take the lead.

Two tries in as many minutes saw the visitors go in front with a dramatic spell of pressure. Brett Beukeboom went over from close range before Robin Wedlake stepped his way past a number of defenders to score from long range. Both conversions went wide but the Pirates had a three point advantage.

The hosts then took control of the match with three tries in the final six minutes of the first half as the attack clicked in sensational fashion.

Andrew Durutalo intercepted on the half way and offloaded to Luke Carter who was brought down, but quick ball was then spun wide and Seb Stegmann was there to run to the line unattended. That put the hosts ahead and they didn’t look back with another try following just two minutes later.

Craig Willis skipped his way over the line for try number three to extend the lead. Another free ball saw the fly-half in possession, and he went himself before stepping through three defenders to dive under the posts.

Pirates prop Tyler Gendall was then sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle, and they were punished with another try against them with the last play of the half. From the top of a lineout an inside ball found Seb Stegmann, and he raced through a number of defenders before diving over to secure the bonus point. Willis converted to extend the lead to 26-13 at the break.

The second half began in similar fashion with another try from Guy Armitage as the scoreboard continued to increase. Former Pirate Laurence May made a break and offloaded to the centre who piled a huge hand off on the final defender before racing clear to the line.

Andrew Durutalo then appeared to put the result beyond doubt with try number six. With possession deep in the Pirates 22 the ball went straight to the American who couldn’t be stopped from close range after wrestling his way to the line. Willis converted and then added a penalty to give his side a 41-16 lead with 20 minutes remaining.

Pirates then burst in to life and two tries in quick succession from Kyle Moyle and Robin Wedlake cut the deficit to just 13 points in the closing stages.

The Trailfinders were unable to keep hold of the ball for long periods and were being put under serious pressure from the visitors who went over for the final try with the last play of the game. A neat grubber in behind bounced in to the hands of Wedlake who completed his hat trick in impressive fashion.

There was no time for the re-start meaning the Trailfinders could celebrate another bonus point win to stretch their winning run to four matches.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston (replaced by Laurence May, 25 mins) 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Guy Armitage 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Luke Carter (replaced by Jordan Burns, 65 mins) 1 Jack O’Connell (replaced by Jake Ellwood, 70 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 50 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by Ben Betts, 65 mins) 4 Ben Landry 5 Tom Denton (replaced by Ben West, 40 mins) 6 Jordy Reid 7 Andrew Durutalo (replaced by Ollie Stedman, 75 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jake Ellwood 18 Ben Betts 19 Ben West 20 Ollie Stedman 21 Jordan Burns 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Guy Armitage (7, 43 minutes) Seb Stegmann (33, 40 minutes) Craig Willis (39 minutes) Andrew Durutalo (50 minutes)

Conversions: Craig Willis (7, 39, 40, 50 minutes)

Penalties: Craig Willis (63 minutes)

Yellow Card: Andrew Durutalo

Cornish Pirates:

15 Kyle Moyle 14 Robin Wedlake 13 Rory Parata 12 Callum Patterson 11 Harry Strong 10 Will Cargill 9 Alex Day 1 Jack Andrew 2 Sam Matavesi 3 Tyler Gendall 4 Toby Freeman 5 Brett Beukeboom (c) 6 Josh Caulfield 7 John Stevens 8 Matt Bolwel

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost 17 Billy Keast 18 Danny Cutmore 19 James McRae 20 Jake Ashby 21 Harvey Skinner 22 Alex O’Meara

Scorers:

Tries: Brett Beukeboom (19 minutes) Robin Wedlake (21, 75, 80 minutes) Kyle Moyle (65 minutes)

Conversions: Harvey Skinner (65. 80 minutes)

Penalties: Will Cargill (37, 47 minutes)

Yellow Card: Tyler Gendall

Match Officials:

Referee: John Meredith

Assistant Referees: Nick Marshall & Gareth Holsgrove

Fourth Official: Gregory Garner

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 26 – 13 Cornish Pirates

Attendance: 954

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Ben Landry

Ealing Trailfinders made it back-to-back wins with an emphatic 42-24 bonus-point victory over Yorkshire Carnegie at Trailfinders Sports Club.

Ben Ward’s men scored five tries thanks to a double from Rayn Smid as well as scores from James Cordy Redden, Pat Howard and Jordy Reid to get their second consecutive victory.

The West Londoners flew in to the lead with a try from captain Smid after just two minutes. Peter Lydon broke through the middle and after being brought down just short the ball was recycled to the South African who powered over from close range. Lydon converted to give his side the perfect start.

The Trailfinders were then denied a second try by the TMO after an outstanding spell of play saw them nearly cross for a memorable score. A number of offloads in the midfield saw the Carnegie defence running in circles, but a knock on in the process of scoring saw play brought back for a scrum.

It didn’t take long however for the next try, with Smid going over for his second on the 10 minute mark. Craig Willis’ flat pass gave Lewis Jones an acre of space in the midfield, and he was haule down five metres from the line but Smid was there to dive over. Lydon’s conversion was again successful to double the lead.

James Cordy Redden then went over for the third try with 18 minutes on the clock as the Trailfinders threatened to run away with it. An offload from Lewis Jones set Pat Howard free down the wing, and despite scramble defence bringing him down, Cordy Redden was on his shoulder to go over from close range. The conversion went wide, but the hosts held a dominant 19-0 advantage.

Yorkshire responded well and got themselves back in to the match as they dominated the second quarter. Ben West was sent to the sin bin for bringing down a maul, and then from the resulting penalty they went over courtesy of Dylan Donnellan who drove over from the maul. Brendan Cope converted to cut the lead to 12 points.

The Trailfinders re-gathered their composure and a penalty from Peter Lydon extended the advantage to 22-7 which was then cancelled out by a Cope three-pointer for the visitors, and that was how the score remained until half time after an energetic opening 40 minutes in front of 933 in Ealing.

The first score of the second half was always going to be crucial, and to the delight of the home supporters it came from Pat Howard who secured the bonus point in the process. The ball came off the top of the lineout and found Andrew Durutalo who made a characteristic run through the defence, before drawing in the last man to release Howard who ran clear from outside of the 22. Lydon converted, with the lead now 27-10.

Yorkshire were next to score as former Trailfinder Dan Temm ran over from loose ball to cut the deficit. They turned the ball over from inside their own 22 and broke away, before the flanker gathered with an overlap to dive over in the corner. Cope’s touchline conversion brought them back to within 12 points with 15 minutes remaining.

Man of the Match Jordy Reid then put the result beyond doubt with a try on the 70 minute mark to the relief of the home crowd. A neat play inside the 22 took the hosts right up the line, and the Australian picked a great support line to bundle his way under the posts. Lydon converted to take the Trailfinders up over the 30 point mark.

Yorkshire then got their bonus point with three minutes left as Brendan Cope went over from close range after another long distance break, but Lydon rounded off the scoring with two more penalties to give the hosts a confidence-boosting 42-24 victory.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon 14 Howard Packman 13 Lewis Jones (replaced by Laurence May, 78 mins) 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Craig Willis 9 Luke Carter (replaced by Jordan Burns, 75 mins) 1 Jake Ellwood (replaced by Jack O’Connell, 60 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 70 mins) 3 Elliot Millar Mills (replaced by George Davis, 70 mins) 4 Ben Landry 5 Ben West 6 Jordy Reid (replaced by Rohan O’Regan, 78 mins) 7 Andrew Durutalo (replaced by Ollie Stedman, 55 mins) 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Jack O’Connell 18 George Davis 19 Rohan O’Regan 20 Ollie Stedman 21 Jordan Burns 22 Laurence May

Scorers:

Tries: Rayn Smid (2, 12 minutes) James Cordy Redden (16 minutes) Pat Howard (51 minutes) Jordy Reid (70 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (2, 12, 51, 70 minutes)

Penalties: Peter Lydon (27, 78, 80 minutes)

Yellow Card: Ben West

Yorkshire Carnegie:

15. Chris Elder 14. George Watkins 13. Andy Forsyth 12. Pete Lucock (c) 11. Dan Moor 10. Brendan Cope 9. Oli Fox 1. Rowan Jenkins 2. Dylan Donnellan 3. Ewan McQuillin 4. Will Britton 5 Elliott Ward 6. Josh Bainbridge 7. Dan Temm 8. Richard Beck

Replacements:

16. Charlie Gibbings 17. Andy Foster 18. Jake Ilnicki 19. Kieran Frost 20. Trystan Lloyd 21. Sam Wolstenholme 22. Tom Bullough

Scorers:

Tries: Dylan Donnellan (24 minutes) Dan Temm (66 minutes) Brendan Cope (77 minutes)

Conversions: Brendan Cope (24, 66, 77 minutes)

Penalties: Brendan Cope (34 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Matthew O’Grady

Assistant Referees: Darryl Chapman & Simon Adams

Fourth Official: Neil Chivers

Television Match Official: Graham Hughes

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 22 – 10 Yorkshire Carnegie

Attendance: 933

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

Ealing Trailfinders started the season with a frustrating defeat after London Irish left Trailfinders Sports Club with a 20-7 victory.

Ben Ward’s men were dominant in the first half and had the lead for the majority of the opening 40 minutes, but after failing to capitalise on a number of chances Irish pulled away in the second half to secure the victory.

The West Londoners sprung in to life after just three minutes and could have opened the scoring after Dave Johnston raced through the middle, but his offload to James Cordy Redden allowed the Irish defence enough time to scramble back and clear the danger.

The hosts didn’t have to wait much longer for a try as Cordy Redden made the most of the next opportunity to score. A five metre scrum gave them the perfect platform, and after a huge carry from Pat Howard he found the winger who was able to crash under the posts. Laurence May’s conversion put his side 7-0 in front.

More chances followed for the Trailfinders who were in control of possession and after a number of Luke Carter’s box kicks they went up towards the line, but the Irish back row were making sure that the ball wasn’t quick enough to get the ball out wide.

After soaking up the pressure Irish then scored right on half time to get back in to the match. A five metre lineout was driven towards the line, and they went to the short side which allowed Dave Porecki to dot down in the corner. Stephen Myler’s touchline conversion levelled the score as the clock approached 40 minutes.

There was still time for one more chance as Johnston’s grubber fell in to the hands of Guy Armitage but the ball just bounced out of his hands and the half time whistle blew.

Irish took an early lead in the second half with a penalty from Stephen Myler whose 100% boot was proving extremely valuable for the visitors, and another successful penalty quickly followed as Irish took a 13-7 advantage.

On the hour mark they dealt the decisive blow as Ben Meehan took a quick penalty from 40 metres out and had the pace to run away from all of the defenders to dive over in the corner. Myler’s second conversion put the Exiles 13 points ahead.

Man of the Match Guy Armitage then made an electric break from inside the 22 as the hosts chased a bonus point but after smashing his way through five defenders he was brought down agonisingly close to the line.

Ollie Stedman and Jordan Burns then combined to make another chance but the Irish defence hauled them down and the visitors then closed out the match to the delight of the travelling fans.

The Trailfinders now head to London Scottish next weekend as they look to get back to winning ways at the Athletic Ground.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Guy Armitage 12 Pat Howard 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Laurence May (replaced by Sam Olver, 56 mins) 9 Luke Carter (replaced by Jordan Burns, 65 mins) 1 Jack O’Connell (replaced by Matt Beesley, 50 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 70 mins) 3 Mark Tampin (replaced by Elliot Millar Mills, 50 mins) 4 Jordan Onojaife (replaced by Ollie Stedman (70 mins) 5 Tom Denton (replaced by Ben West, 20 mins) 6 Jordy Reid 7 Andrew Durutalo 8 Rayn Smid (c)

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Matt Beesley 18 Elliot Millar Mills 19 Ben West 20 Ollie Stedman 21 Jordan Burns 22 Sam Olver

Scorers:

Tries: James Cordy Redden (9 minutes)

Conversions: Laurence May (9 minutes)

London Irish:

15 Greig Tonks, 14 Topsy Ojo, 13 Tom Stephenson, 12 Bryce Campbell, 11 Luke McLean, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Ben Meehan, 1 Gordon Reid, 2 Dave Porecki, 3 Ollie Hoskins, 4 Barney Maddison, 5 Teofilo Paulo, 6 Josh McNally (c), 7 TJ Ioane, 8 Matt Rogerson

Replacements:

16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Harry Elrington, 18 Patric Cilliers, 19 Blair Cowan, 20 Jake Schatz, 21 Brendan McKibbin, 22 Ciaran Hearn

Scorers:

Tries: Dave Porecki (38 minutes) Ben Meehan (62 minutes)

Conversions: Stephen Myler (38, 63 minutes)

Penalties: Stephen Myler (45, 58 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Luke Pearce

Assistant Referees: Robert Warburton & Clare Daniels

Fourth Official: Michael Hudson

Television Match Official: Graham Hughes

Attendance: 2205

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 7 – 7 London Irish

Harrison’s Vintners & Delicatessen Man of the Match: Guy Armitage

Ealing Trailfinders opened their pre-season fixtures with an impressive performance despite a 17-31 defeat against the Dragons at Trailfinders Sports Club.

With the majority of the match day squad all making their debuts for the club the time needed to gel was always going to take more than the first friendly, and that was evident with a number of opportunities being passed by.

The Trailfinders scored three tries courtesy of Lewis Jones, Craig Willis and Will Harries in what was a spirited display.

The Dragons made a fast start and went in front with just two minutes on the clock through Joe Goodchild. With possession in the midfield they had an overlap on the left wing, which allowed the centre to stroll over in the corner.

The West Londoners then grew in to the game and created a chance for Seb Stegmann but the winger was hauled down just short of the line. Segundo Tuculet then got the opportunity to beat the last defender as space opened up in front of him, but similarly he was dragged down before being able to dot the ball down.

Jordan Williams then extended the lead for the Dragons on the 25 minute mark to put them in control. Straight from the top of the lineout the scrum-half raced clear from outside the 22 and dived under the posts unattended. Jared Rosser then convered, giving them a 12-0 advantage.

That lead then grew when Ryan Bevington scored the Dragons’ third try with five minutes until the break. Again a ball straight from the lineout saw them break through the line, and Rosser drew in the final defender before allowing Bevington to score.

Ben Ward’s side then woke up and got themselves back in to the match with a try in the final play of the half. A number of phases took them up to the line, and then Ollie Stedman combined with Lewis Jones for the centre to dive over in the corner. The conversion went just wide, and the teams went down the tunnel after an energetic first half at Trailfinders Sports Club.

The Trailfinders started the second half with much more intensity and reaped the rewards with an early score from Craig Willis.

A penalty was kicked to the touch just five metres from the line, and with the maul powering towards the line the ball fell out and found Willis who beat the last defender to score. Peter Lydon converted, and cut the deficit to just seven points.

Frustratingly just as the West Londoners got back within a score it was the Dragons that would go over the line next to regain control of the match. A lineout found Brok Harris who ran through and had the pace to stretch over despite a big chase from the hosts. The conversion went wide but the lead was back up to 12 points.

Seb Stegmann and Andrew Durutalo took advantage of an overlap on the right wing to get right up to the line, but in a play that would sum up the match the ball went frustratingly forward.

The Dragons then put the result beyond doubt on the hour mark as Brandon Nansen powered through from close range, and Gavin Henson’s conversion took them up to the 30 point mark.

Will Harries made sure that the Trailfinders ended the game on a positive note with a try right at the end. The hosts went through the phases, and then Willis’ long looping pass found Harries on the wing who dived over the line.

The pre-season opener ended in defeat but a number of positives meant that the Trailfinders will head to Blackheath next week with plenty of encouragement.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 David Johnston 14 Segundo Tuculet 13 Lewis Jones 12 Pat Howard 11 Seb Stegmann 10 Sam Olver 9 Luke Carter 1 Jack O’Connell 2 Alun Walker 3 Elliot Millar Mills 4 Sam Dickinson (c) 5 Tom Denton 6 Rayn Smid 7 Andrew Durutalo 8 Ollie Stedman

Replacements:

Matt Cornish, Jake Ellwood, Mark Tampin, George Edgson, Jordan Onojaife, Ben West, Jordan Burns, Craig Willis, Guy Armitage, Will Harries, Peter Lydon

Scorers:

Tries: Lewis Jones (40 minutes) Craig Willis (44 minutes) Will Harries (75 minutes)

Conversions: Peter Lydon (44 minutes)

Dragons:

15 Rhodri Williams 14 Josh Lewis 13 Joe Goodchild 12 Jack Dixon (c) 11 Adam Warren 10 Jared Rosser 9 Jordan Williams 1 Ryan Bevington 2 Rhys Lawrence 3 Lloyd Fairbrother 4 Joe Davies 5 Matthew Screech 6 Huw Taylor 7 Nic Cudd 8 James Benjamin

Replacements:

Richard Hibbard, Gerard Ellis, Brok Harris, Ryanrd Landman, Brandon Nansen, Lewis Evans, Rhodri Davies, Jacob Botica, Gavin Henson, Jarryd Sage, Tiaan Loots, George Gasson, Zane Kirchner

Scorers:

Tries: Joe Goodchild (2 minutes) Jordan Williams (25 minutes) Ryan Bevington (36 minutes) Bros Harris (52 minutes) Brandon Nansen (59 minutes)

Conversions: Jared Rosser (25, 36 minutes) Gavin Henson (59 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Wayne Barnes

Assistant Referees: Luke Pearce & Simon McConnell

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 5 – 19 Dragons

Ealing Trailfinders won the British & Irish Cup for the first time with a historic 22-7 victory over Leinster at Vallis Way.

In what were extremely challenging conditions the West Londoners managed the game impressively and took control of the match in the second half thanks to tries from Joe Munro and Mark Bright.

Luke Daniels opened the scoring after a cagey opening to give Ben Ward’s men the lead on the 15 minute mark, but Leinster responded straight away to take the lead.

A penalty from the restart allowed them to kick to the corner, and they drove over the line from the rolling maul to score the first try of the match. Ciaran Frawley’s conversion gave the Dublin outfit a 7-3 advantage.

The first half remained a nervy encounter, but after securing dominance up front the Trailfinders took the lead just before the break. A series of scrums on the Leinster line meant they were awarded penalty after penalty, and eventually after the ball spat out of the side it allowed Luke Carter to dive over the line. Daniels converted, and gave his side a 10-7 lead at the break.

The West Londoners dominated the second half and were winning the battle at the breakdown as the match turned early in the final 40 minutes in their favour.

Leinster had two men sent to the sin bin in quick succession, and from there the Trailfinders scored two quick tries to put them in firm control.

Joe Munro gave his side some breathing space with an outstanding try after 57 minutes. The ball came off the top of the lineout and he combined with James Cordy Redden, whose audacious offload allowed the big centre to smash his way over the line. Daniels converted to open up a 10 point lead.

That lead was then extended when Mark Bright scored just two minutes later to put the result beyond doubt. A maul was brought down just short, but the captain picked the ball up from close range and stepped the final defender to send the Vallis Way crowd of 1386 in to raptures.

From then on the half backs of Luke Carter and Shane O’Leary continuously kicked in to the Leinster territory to ensure there was no danger on the try-line in the closing stages, and the Trailfinders held out for a memorable victory which was met with jubilant scenes all around Vallis Way.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Luke Daniels 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Piers O’Conor 12 Joe Munro 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Shane O’Leary 9 Luke Carter 1 Will Davis (replaced by James Gibbons, 52 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Rhys Lawrence, 75 mins) 3 Lewis Thiede (replaced by Mark Tampin, 27 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson 5 Harry Casson 6 Kieran Murphy 7 Rayn Smid (replaced by Dan Temm, 70 mins) 8 Mark Bright (c)

Replacements:

16 Rhys Lawrence 17 James Gibbons 18 Mark Tampin 19 Oli Curry 20 Dan Temm 21 Calum Waters 22 Peter Lydon

Scorers:

Tries: Luke Carter (38 minutes) Joe Munro (57 minutes) Mark Bright (61 minutes)

Conversions: Luke Daniels (38, 57 minutes)

Penalties: Luke Daniels (14 minutes)

Leinster Rugby:

15. Jack Kelly 14. Adam Byrne 13. Gavin Mullin 12. Conor O’Brien 11. Tommy O’Brien 10. Ciarán Frawley 9. Charlie Rock 1. Ed Byrne 2. Bryan Byrne (c) 3. Vakh Abdaladze 4. Mick Kearney 5. Ian Nagle 6. Josh Murphy 7. Peadar Timmins 8. Max Deegan

Replacements:

16. Sean McNulty 17. Peter Dooley 18. Jack Aungier 19. Caelan Doris 20. Will Connors 21. Hugh O’Sullivan 22. Tom Daly

Scorers:

Tries: (18 minutes)

Conversions: Ciaran Frawley (18 minutes)

Yellow Card: Peter Dooley, Tommy O’Brien

Match Officials:

Referee: Craig Evans

Assistant Referees: Mike English & Dewi Phillips

Fourth Official: Darryl Chapman

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 10 – 7 Leinster Rugby

Attendance: 1386

Ealing Trailfinders booked their place in the British & Irish Cup Final after an emphatic 36-16 victory over Bedford Blues at Vallis Way.

The West Londoners were scintillating in the first-half and raced in to a 26-6 lead after just 25 minutes after tries from Piers O’Conor, Alun Walker, Luke Carter and Harry Casson.

Mark Bright then added another five-pointer after the break to put the result beyond doubt in front of 1027 in the sunshine.

Will Hooley’s early penalty gave the visitors a 3-0 advantage with five minutes on the clock, but from then on the game was dominated by the hosts.

Piers O’Conor opened the scoring after 10 minutes, after a break from inside the 22 saw James Cordy Redden race down the wing and then pass inside to the centre who ran clear to slide over the line. Luke Daniels converted to edge his side ahead for the first time in the match.

Hooley then kicked another penalty, but then Ben Ward’s men turned the screw to put one foot in the final with a spell of three tries in five minutes.

Alun Walker went over the line from a rolling maul after a huge touch find from Shane O’Leary, and with Daniels’ conversion the lead was now eight points.

Then the hooker showed incredible skill to dummy and step past three defenders before offloading to Luke Carter who carried over from five metres out.

Straight from the restart another try had the home supporters in raptures as the hosts scored again. Carter broke from gathering the drop kick, and had Harry Casson there on his shoulder who was able to beat the last man to dive over. Daniels converted, and all of a sudden the Trailfinders had a 26-6 advantage.

That lead was nearly extended further again as Dan Temm broke down the wing, but his pass inside went forward and Bedford were able to end what had been a relentless 10 minute period.

Hooley kicked another penalty just before the break, but the hosts held a commanding 26-9 advantage at half time.

The Trailfinders showed no signs of letting off in the second-half, with Mark Bright going over for the fifth try of the match to all but book his team’s place in the final. Another huge O’Leary touch find took them up to the line, and then the captain drove over from the rolling maul to mark his 50th appearance for the club with a try. Daniels’ conversion took the lead up to 24 points.

Bedford then responded as they looked for a way back in to the match, but the home defence held firm to deny them any momentum.

Joe Munro went within inches of scoring after being dragged down just short, and then the visitors were reduced to 14 men when Will Carrick Smith was red carded for a headbutt.

Mike Rayer’s man went over for a consolation try as Michael LeBourgeois scored under the posts from first phase ball, but a Luke Daniels penalty rounded off the scoring with a 36-16 victory.

Ealing Trailfinders will now face Leinster in the Final on the weekend of 12th May, with the location and date to be confirmed in the coming days.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Luke Daniels 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Piers O’Conor 12 Joe Munro 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Shane O’Leary 9 Luke Carter 1 James Gibbons (replaced by Will Davis 45 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Rhys Lawrence, 65 mins) 3 Lewis Thiede (replaced by Mark Tampin, 45 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson (replaced by Oli Curry, 70 mins) 5 Harry Casson (replaced by Llewelyn Jones, 65 mins) 6 Dan Temm 7 Rayn Smid 8 Mark Bright (c)

Replacements:

16 Rhys Lawrence 17 Will Davis 18 Mark Tampin 19 Llewelyn Jones 20 Oli Curry 21 Dan Grant Adamson 22 Peter Lydon

Scorers:

Tries: Piers O’Conor (11 minutes) Alun Walker (19 minutes) Luke Carter (22 minutes) Harry Casson (23 minutes) Mark Bright (46 minutes)

Conversions: Luke Daniels (11, 19, 23, 46 minutes)

Penalties: Luke Daniels (78 minutes)

Bedford Blues:

15. Rich Lane 14. Howard Packman 13. Rory Hutchinson 12. Michael LeBourgeois (c) 11. Dean Adamson 10. Will Hooley 9. Lee Dickson 1. Sean McCarthy 2. Tom Lindsay 3. Ben Cooper 4. Jordan Onojaife 5. Will Carrick-Smith 6. Alex Rae 7. Josh Buggea 8. Huw Worthington

Replacements:

16. George Edgson 17. Camilo Parilli-Ocampo 18. Alex Penny 19. Ed Taylor 20. Ben Adams 21. Jordan Burns 22. Harry Sheppard

Scorers:

Tries: Michael LeBourgeois (75 minutes)

Conversions: Will Hooley (75 minutes)

Penalties: Will Hooley (5, 14, 40 minutes)

Red Card: Will Carrick Smith

Match Officials:

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Assistant Referees: Simon Harding & Phil Watters

Fourth Official: Rob Warburton

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 26 – 9 Bedford Blues

Attendance: 1027

Storm Man of the Match: Sam Dickinson

Ealing Trailfinders scored nine tries to get back to winning ways in a comprehensive 54-36 victory over Hartpury at a sun-drenched Vallis Way.

The West Londoners secured the win with tries from Rayn Smid, James Cordy Redden, Luke Daniels, Ollie Stedman, Lewis Thiede, a penalty try and two from Alun Walker to round off the home league campaign with a resounding win, meaning they are confirmed in second place in the Greene King IPA Championship.

There was just over a minute on the clock when the first try was scored, with Alun Walker latching on to the back of a maul and driving over the line to open the scoring for the day. Luke Daniels converted to extend the lead to 7-0, and that was to change quickly as a rampant first half display gained momentum.

Rayn Smid had the awareness to read a looping pass from Hartpury, and intercepted before showing impressive pace to run clear from the half way line to score the second try of the match.

James Cordy Redden then scored one of the tries of the season to continue the electric start. A turnover under their own posts then turned in to a length of the field attack with a number of offloads in the midfield creating the space for the winger to score in the corner.

Luke Daniels then secured the try bonus point with just 15 minutes on the clock to put the lead up to 26 points. Shane O’Leary’s inch-perfect cross kick found Cordy Redden on the wing, and he drew in the final defender to allow Daniels a run to the line from close range.

Hartpury then responded and came back in to the match thanks to a try from Ciaran Knight. A break in the midfield gave them the chance to go wide, and the prop then crashed over from close range to cut the deficit to 26-10.

However a penalty try for Ben Ward’s men confirmed their dominance in the closing stages of the first half. A five metre scrum was powering towards the line, and referee Tim Wigglesworth went under the posts after a huge collective effort from the forwards.

Hartpury had the last impact of the opening 40 minutes, with Alex Craig dotting down in the final play to make it 33-17 to the hosts at the break.

The visitors started the second half as they ended the first, with a try after just two minutes to bring themselves right back in to the game. A combination in the middle fooled the Trailfinders’ defence, and allowed Alex Craig to run through for his second of the match. The conversion from James Williams cut the gap to just nine points.

That gap then became four points as another try for the visitors, this time from Rob Langley who drove over from a maul set the alarm bells ringing amongst the home supporters.

The next score was to be crucial, and thankfully for the hosts it came from Ollie Stedman who was making his first appearance at Vallis Way. The back-rower picked up from the base of a scrum and had too much power as he bundled his way to the line. The conversion from Daniels gave the hosts a 40-29 lead with 25 minutes remaining.

Lewis Thiede then put the result beyond doubt with a try on the hour mark to extend the lead further. A number of phases in the 22 gave the Trailfinders some front foot ball, and Thiede was the beneficiary as he ran through to dive over in the corner.

Alun Walker then brought up the 50 point mark with his second try of the match, as an overthrown lineout fell straight in to his hands who gratefully dived straight over the line.

Hartpury had the final say as James Williams pounced on a loose kick to score under the posts, but the day belonged to the London side as they registered a confidence boosting win with two games ahead in the next week.

A trip to Yorkshire Carnegie on Tuesday night is next on the agenda in the rearranged match, before welcome Bedford Blues for the British & Irish Cup Semi Final next Saturday at Vallis Way.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Luke Daniels (replaced by Peter Lydon, 65 mins) 14 Seb Stegmann 13 Piers O’Conor 12 Joe Munro 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Shane O’Leary 9 Luke Carter (replaced by Dan Grant Adamson, 70 mins) 1 James Gibbons (replaced by Will Davis, 53 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Rhys Lawrence, 65 mins) 3 Mark Tampin (replaced by Lewis Thiede, 50 mins) 4 Oli Curry 5 Llewelyn Jones 6 Dan Temm (replaced by Mark Bright, 65 mins) 7 Rayn Smid 8 Kieran Murphy (c) (replaced by Ollie Stedman, 40 mins)

Replacements:

16 Rhys Lawrence 17 Will Davis 18 Lewis Thiede 19 Ollie Stedman 20 Mark Bright 21 Dan Grant Adamson 22 Peter Lydon

Scorers:

Tries: Alun Walker (2, 65 minutes) Rayn Smid (7 minutes) James Cordy Redden (11 minutes) Luke Daniels (15 minutes) Penalty Try (25 minutes) Ollie Stedman (53 minutes) Lewis Thiede (60 minutes)

Conversions: Luke Daniels (2, 11, 15, 54, 61, 65 minutes)

Yellow Card: Dan Temm

Hartpury:

15. Mike Wilcox, 14. George Boulton, 13. Ed Coulson, 12. Luke Eves, 11. Harry Cochrane, 10. James Williams, 9. Charlie Chapman; 1. Dan Murphy (c), 2. Will Tanner, 3. Ciaran Kinight, 4. Joe Quinn, 5. Alex Craig, 6. Iain Grieve, 7. Rob Langley, 8. Darrel Dyer.

Replacements:

16. Will Crane, 17. Mike Flook, 18. Rupert Harden, 19. Ben So’oialo-Chan, 20. Aaron Hinkley, 21. Ed Sheldon, 22. Maliq Holden

Scorers:

Tries: Ciaran Knight (26 minutes) Alex Craig (40, 43 minutes) Rob Langley (47 minutes) James Williams (70 minutes)

Conversions: James Williams (26, 40, 43, 70 minutes)

Penalties: James Williams (23 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Tim Wigglesworth

Assistant Referees: Simon Adams & Fergus Kirby

Fourth Official: Andrew Macneaney

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 33 – 17 Hartpury

Attendance: 679

Storm Man of the Match: Alun Walker

Ealing Trailfinders advanced through to the semi-finals after a nail-biting 28-25 victory over Cornish Pirates at Vallis Way.

The West Londoners held on in the closing stages as two late tries from the Pirates brought them back in to the match, but they managed to stop the onslaught and qualify to take on Bedford Blues in the semi.

Tries from Sam Dickinson, James Cordy Redden, Luke Daniels and Kieran Murphy ensured the victory as Ben Ward’s men registered their 13th home win of the campaign.

After a tight opening to the match which reflected the significance of the game, Sam Dickinson opened the scoring with a try from close range.

A five metre lineout was brought down, and the second-rower broke away to rumble over the line to score his first try for the club. Luke Daniels, who was 100% from the tee all afternoon converted to put his side 7-0 ahead.

Will Cargill got the Pirates on the board with a penalty from 25 metres, but a try from James Cordy Redden gave the hosts some breathing space on the 20 minute mark.

Lewis Jones broke through the defence, and an impressive offload gave the winger a free run over the line to dive under the posts. Daniels again converted, extending the lead to 14-3.

In challenging weather conditions both sides were kicking the ball at every opportunity, and the Pirates came back in to the match just before the break to cut the gap to just a point.

Marlen Walker scored their first try of the match with five minutes until half time after the ball landed in his hands from a lineout, and Cargill’s conversion made it 14-10. Another penalty from the fly-half with the final play of the half made it 14-13 at the break.

Just like last week the Trailfinders came flying out of the blocks in the second half, and two early tries put them in control of the match.

Luke Daniels read a long looping pass and intercepted before racing clear from 50 metres just seconds after the restart, and he converted his try to extend the advantage to 21-13.

Just two minutes later captain Kieran Murphy scored the fourth try to edge further ahead. After going through the phases deep in the Pirates 22 the ball found the skipper who smashed his way through the last defender to score. Daniels converted, making it 28-13 with half an hour remaining.

The Pirates’ comeback began in the 68th minute as Matt Evans broke through three defenders to give himself a clear run to the line, and with the conversion there were just eight points in it.

That gap was cut to just three points with another try to increase the tension at Vallis Way. A five metre lineout gave the visitors the platform, and Billy Keast drove over to score. The conversion crucially went wide, meaning there was more than just a penalty between the sides.

Ben Ward’s side kept the ball for the final two minutes as they looked to run down the clock, however a knock on gave the Pirates one last chance. However the ball was dropped, meaning the crowd erupted and celebrated a passage through to the semi finals.

Ealing Trailfinders:

15 Peter Lydon 14 Luke Daniels 13 Lewis Jones 12 Joe Munro 11 James Cordy Redden 10 Shane O’Leary 9 Luke Carter (replaced by Dan Grant Adamson, 73 mins) 1 James Gibbons (replaced by Alex Lundberg, 68 mins) 2 Alun Walker (replaced by Matt Cornish, 65 mins) 3 Lewis Thiede (replaced by Mark Tampin, 60 mins) 4 Sam Dickinson 5 Harry Casson (replaced by Morgan Allen, 78 mins) 6 Kieran Murphy (c) 7 Rayn Smid (replaced by Dan Temm, 68 mins) 8 Mark Bright

Replacements:

16 Matt Cornish 17 Alex Lundberg 18 Mark Tampin 19 Morgan Allen 20 Dan Temm 21 Dan Grant Adamson 22 Piers O’Conor

Scorers:

Tries: Sam Dickinson (8 minutes) James Cordy Redden (16 minutes) Luke Daniels (41 minutes) Kieran Murphy (46 minutes)

Conversions: Luke Daniels (8, 16, 41, 46 minutes)

Cornish Pirates:

15 Kyle Moyle, 14 Alex O’Meara, 13 Dan Koster, 12 Nicolas De Battista (capt), 11 Matt Evans, 10 Will Cargill, 9 Alex Day; 1 Marlen Walker, 2 Sam Matavesi, 3 Christian Judge, 4 Toby Freeman, 5 Brett Beukeboom, 6, Tom Lawday, 7 John Stevens, 8 Tom Duncan.

Replacements:

16 Dan Frost, 17 Jack Andrew, 18 Billy Keast, 19 Josh Caulfield, 20 Dan Lee, 21 Laurence May, 22 Toby May

Scorers:

Tries: Marlen Walker (36 minutes) Matt Evans (68 minutes) Billy Keast (73 minutes)

Conversions: Will Cargill (36, 68 minutes)

Penalties: Will Cargill (11, 39 minutes)

Match Officials:

Referee: Christophe Ridley

Assistant Referees: Sara Cox & Simon McConnell

Fourth Official: Nick Marshall

Half Time Score: Ealing Trailfinders 14 – 13 Cornish Pirates

Attendance: 757

Storm Man of the Match: Kieran Murphy