Ealing Trailfinders vs Old Albanian

Ealing Trailfinders brought the curtain down on 2014 with a seven-try win over a dogged and determined Old Albanian side that means that Ben Ward’s side end the year top of National 1.

With former head coach James Shanahan returning to OA’s the Hertfordshire side sought to move the wide from the start and centres Dan Watt and Max Wilkins both made early breaks before Watt opened the scoring with a penalty on five minutes.

For the next 10 minutes defences stayed on top and while scrum-halves Alex Walker and Jack Daly both tried to prompt their attacking lines it was a forward, Arthur Ellis, who put Ealing Trailfinders into the lead when he scored his 12th try of the season from a rolling maul.

Phil Chesters stretched the lead further still when he latched on to Ben Ward’s cross-kick and raced home to score in the corner from his 22. Ward added the conversion, but Watt knocked over his second penalty to stay in touch.

Ealing Trailfinders’ pack began to impose itself on their opposite numbers as the first half wore on and Ellis scored his second in identical fashion to his first from the back of a rolling maul. Andy Reay then swooped on a tricky Ward grubber kick to ensure the four-try bonus point on the stroke of half-time.

Will Harries marked the start of the second half with a searing break of Tom Wheatcroft’s pass, but OA wing Chris May came back to make the interception as Chesters appeared set to run in his second try.

However, after a rolling maul was stopped short of the line, the ball went through the phases with the forward pack and eventually Llewelyn Jones crashed over from close range.

OA hit back though when Watt’s powerful run though Ealing Trailfinders’ defence was rewarded with their first try of the day that he then converted.

Shanahan’s promptings continued to keep OA on the attack, but it was Ealing Trailfinders who struck next when Harries raced into the corner after attacking the blind-side of a scrum.

Both sides stuck to their attacking intent as the match drew to a close and Nick Foster show a fine turn of speed to race away from his half for OA’s second try of the match.

Nonetheless Ealing Trailfinders had the last word when Harries scored his second off the match after claiming Ward’s kick to dive over in the corner. Ward’s conversion then meant that 2014 ended in fine style.

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, Chris Kinloch, Tom Wheatcroft, Andy Reay, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Karl Gibson, Alex Penny, Paul Spivey, Llewelyn Jones, Anders Nilsson, Arthur Ellis, Redford Pennycook (captain)
Reserves
Andrei Radoi, Will Davis, Mike Walker-Fitton, Alex Bradley, Luke Daniels

Old Albanian
Ollie Marchon, Chris May, Max Wilkins, Dan Watt, Jimmy Speirs, James Shanahan, Jack Daly; Charlie Hughes, Brett McNamee, Andy Berry, Lloyd Bickle, Ross Hamilton, Ollie Cooper-Miller, Nick Stevens, Billy Johnson (captain)
Reserves
George Warner, Will Briggs, Jon Phillips, Dom Regan, Jack Daly

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Ellis 15, 34, Chesters 23, Reay 39, Jones 45, Harries 60, 79), Conversions (Ward 24, 34, 40, 45, 80)
Old Albanian
Tries (Watt 54, Foster 72), Penalties (Watt 5, 29, 55)

STORM Watches MOTM – Anders Nilsson
Referee – Rob Warburton
Attendance – 564
Yellow card – Lloyd Bickle (OA)

Ealing Trailfinders vs Blackheath RFC

Ealing Trailfinders returned to winning ways by running in five tries against their cross-city rivals from south-east London.

Both teams did their best to play flowing rugby in biting conditions and both can look back with pride that they ended the match having run in five tries apiece.

Blackheath enjoyed the opening exchanges and were unfortunate not to open the scoring on four minutes when wing Richard Windsor found space, but he knocked on as he crossed the line.

Ealing Trailfinders came close from their first foray into the opposition half when Owen Bruynseels put Matt Jarvis away before he was hauled down close to the line. Blackheath offended at the breakdown, Ben Ward kicked to touch and from the subsequent lineout Arthur Ellis was mauled over for his 10th try of the season.

The south-east Londoners hit back immediately and after probing the line Bruynseels had to stop Bill Stuart in the corner. Soon after though Seb Nagle-Taylor scored their first try when he wiggled free from a driven line out and then moments later he linked with Joe Crest to put Windsor over for a try that gave the visitors the lead.

The hosts began to probe the Blackheath line and after Tom Wheatcroft and Andrei Radoi had been stopped short, Ward found Bruynseels in space for his second try of the season.

The match continued in a frantic manner with both teams eager to spread the play wide when they had the chance, but after four tries in the first 20 minutes, defences came out on top for the next 10.

Redford Pennycook was next on the scoresheet when he picked a strong line to race in behind the post, which stretched the lead to 21-10. Bruynseels then had his second try ruled out for a forward pass and Sam Wardingley suffered the same fate on the stroke of halftime.

Blackheath began the second half in the same manner as the first and were eventually rewarded for their positive play when fly-half Alex Gallagher wiggled through from five yards. Once again though Ryan Squires’ kicking was off and Ealing Trailfinders maintained a six-point lead.

They nearly scored their third soon after when Mike Canty cut a powerful line through Ealing Trailfinders’ defence and only a last-gasp Jarvis tackle stopped him from securing a four-try bonus point. Then when they turned to their pack from a lineout Ellis came through the maul to stop the attack.

Eventually Ealing Trailfinders secured the four-try bonus when Ellis broke free from the back of a driving maul to score in the corner. Chesters then found the space to run in his 200th competitive try for the club and his 16th of the season.

Gallagher scored his second of the match and Squires found space to score a fifth on the death to wrap up an exciting, entertaining London derby.

Ealing Trailfinders
Matt Jarvis, Owen Bruynseels, Sam Wardingley, Tom Wheatcroft, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Will Davis, Andrei Radoi, Nathan Buck, Carwyn Jones, Gary Johnson, Redford Pennycook, Arthur Ellis, Danny Kenny (captain)
Reserves
Karl Gibson, Alex Penny, Paul Spivey, Anders Nilsson, Chris Kinloch

Blackheath
Mike Canty, Ryan Squires, Markus Burcham, Joe Crust, Richard Windsor, Alex Gallagher, Sam Eydmann; Aston Croall, Gavin O’Meara, Will Stuart, Tom Bason, George Oram, Richard Pike, Seb Nagle-Taylor, Ollie Lyons
Reserves
Nik Grier, Stefan North, Chris Sewell, Tom Trotter, Harry Shepard

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Ellis 8, 65 Bruynseels 22, Pennycook 32, Chesters 71), Conversions (Ward 9, 22, 33)
Blackheath
Tries (Nagle-Taylor 15, Windsor 16, Gallagher 46, 73, Squires 80), Conversions (Gallagher 80)

STORM Watches Man of the Match – Arthur Ellis
Attendance – 321
Referee – Tom Foley

Ealing Trailfinders vs Fylde

Ealing Trailfinders enjoyed their finest performance of the season when they ran in eight tries to defeat promotion rivals Fylde on Saturday.

Six different players finished on the scoresheet for the west Londoners, there was one penalty try and director of coaching Ben Ward was faultless with his kicking, slotting eight conversions from eight.

Ealing Trailfinders kicked off and kept their opponents pinned in their 22 with sound defence. Even so Fylde broke away on a couple of occasions, but when they did Ealing Trailfinders’ defence stood firm.

The home side’s pack eventually put themselves on top and they twice came close from catch, drives and rolling mauls with captain Tom Brown held up over the line on the second attempt.

Eventually as the pack continued to increase their vice-like grip on the Fylde line referee Matthew O’Grady whistled for a penalty try when a scrum went down and Ward had little problem slotting the conversion.

Chris Johnson slotted a penalty for Fylde after they enjoyed a few phases of possession, but not long after their second row Joe Robinson was sent to the sin-bin after he pulled Danny Kenny down at a lineout.

From the resulting penalty the forwards went on the attack and after they had opened up a hole in the Fylde defence Alex Walker wiggled over.

The hosts continued to press hard, but after the pack conceded a free-kick by engaging early at a scrum, Fylde whipped the ball wide to wing Olli Brennand, who raced from his 22 to the corner for his 12th try of the season.

The try imbued the visitors with confidence and they stayed on the attack, but when one of their attacks broke down, Ward swooped on the loose ball and kicked ahead for Will Harries to score Ealing Trailfinders third try on the stroke of half-time.

Harries scored his second three minutes into the second half when he picked a strong line from a scrum, chipped the defence, collected and scored between the posts to secure the four-try bonus point.

Again the visitors rallied and after their pack gained a foothold, Fylde captain Evan Stewart was driven over for a try that Johnson converted, but Ealing Trailfinders captain Brown matched his counterpart when he was driven over from a catch and drive.

Andy Reay dived over in the corner as Ealing Trailfinders tightened their grip on the match and Chris Kinloch latched onto a Ward cross-kick to mark his return from injury with a try.

The match opened up in the last quarter and both teams went hammer and tongs at each other. Harries nearly went through for his hattrick but slipped after racing three-quarters of the pitch.

However, Phil Chesters ensured that the home side ended on a high when he collected Ward’s cross-kick to score his 14th of the season, a try Ward had little problem converting from the touchline.

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, Chris Kinloch, Sam Wardingley, Andy Reay, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Arthur Ellis, Nathan Buck, Carwyn Jones, Gary Johnson, Danny Kenny, Red Pennycook, Tom Brown (captain)
Reserves
Kevin Davis, Alex Penny, Llewelyn Jones, Anders Nilsson, Tom Wheatcroft

Fylde
Warren Spragg, Jordan Dorrington, Chris Briers, Scott Rawlings, Oli Brennand, Chris Johnson, Martin Wallwork; Dan Birchall, Tom Burtonwood, Adam Lewis, Paul Arnold, Joe Robinson, Mark Goodman, Evan Stewart (captain), Sam Beaumont.
Reserves
Jonny Wild, Danny Maher, Andrew Hughes, Sam Bedlow, Richard Kenyon

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Penalty 15, Walker 24, Harries 40, 43, Brown 56, Reay 58, Kinloch 62, Chesters 79), Conversions (Ward 16, 25, 40, 43, 57, 59, 62, 80 ), Penalties ( )
Fylde
Tries (Brennand 31, Stewart 51), Conversions (Johnson 52), Penalties (Johnson 19)

STORM Watches Man of the Match – Llewelyn Jones
Referee – Matthew O’Grady
Attendance – 512

Ealing Trailfinders vs Tynedale

Ealing Trailfinders moved back to the top of National 1 in a rousingly entertaining match in which both teams were determined to attack with élan and brio and backed up their intentions with actions on the field.

Tynedale started in determined mood and they led within a minute of kickoff. Dutch international wing Sep Visser looped round to touch down between the posts for a try that fly-half Gavin Beasley converted.

It didn’t take Ealing Trailfinders long to hit back though and Phil Chesters scored in the corner to close the gap to two points.

Owen Bruynseels had chipped ahead down the right, Will Harries was unable to gather with the line at his mercy, but Arthur Ellis swept up and popped the ball to Chesters who had tracked the play across the pitch to his opposite wing.

After five minutes pause when two Tynedale players received treatment, the match resumed and immediately Ealing Trailfinders’ pack gained the ascendancy and won a penalty that was kicked to touch.

From the catch and drive the forwards hammered the Tynedale line and eventually Ellis found space to wiggle over to score.

Tynedale again scored when they went on the attack. After tapping a penalty they attacked left then right and flanker Dan Temm dived over and with Beasley’s conversion the visitors were back in front.

Ealing Trailfinders responded in the best way possible by immediately going down the other end and scoring to restore the lead. Will Harries scored in the same corner as Chesters and with Ward’s conversion the hosts led 17-14 with less than a quarter of the match gone.

Soon after Ealing Trailfinders secured the bonus point when captain Tom Brown was driven over from another catch and drive and a few moments later he ran in his second as the hosts’ attack had left the Tynedale defence in disarray.

Three more tries came as the first half drew to a close; Red Pennycook ensured all three starting back rowers ended on the scoresheet, Chesters dived over in the corner and Bruynseels marked his second match back from injury with a try that brought up the half century after Harries broke clear down the length of the pitch.

The second half nearly began in the same fashion as the first when Visser streaked clear down the pitch. Harries stopped him on the line, but substitute hooker Alex Westgarth was on hand to complete the scoring.

Ealing Trailfinders rediscovered their shape though and Andy Reay capitalised on quick ball, but Adam King ensured that Tynedale would leave with a try bonus point when he dived over in the corner.

Chesters wrapped up his hattrick from a big kick forward from Will Davis and the see-saw nature of the match continued when the Tynedale pack won a penalty try when Gary Johnson and Ellis were in the sin bin.

King scored a second down the right and as the whistle approached both teams did their upmost to keep the ball alive, though neither were able to add to their already numerous try count.

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, Owen Bruynseels, Sam Wardingley, Andy Reay, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Alun Walker, Alex Penny, Carwyn Jones, Gary Johnson, Red Pennycook, Arthur Ellis, Tom Brown (captain)
Reserves
Will Davis, Nathan Buck, Steve Pape, Llewelyn Jones, Matt Jarvis

Tynedale
Jack Harrison (captain), Adam King, William Miller, Ben Frankland, Sep Visser, Gavin Beasley, Matt Outson; Sam White, David Nelson, Mark Irving, Glen Young, Graeme Dunn, Joe Mills, Dan Temm, Scott Powell
Reserves
Alexander Westgarth, Joseph Anderson, Matthew Charters, Daniel Taylor, Brett Connon

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Chesters 4, 37, 60 Ellis 12, Harries 19, Brown 21, 32, Pennycook 34 Bruynseels 38, Reay 49), Conversions (Ward 12, 20, 33, 35, 38, 39, Jarvis 50 )
Tynedale
Tries (Visser 1, Temm 17, Westgarth 42, King 54, 77 Frankland 67, Penalty 73 ), Conversions (Beasley 2, 18, 43 Connon 74)

STORM Watches Man of the Match – Jamie Kilbane
Referee – Rob Warburton
Attendance – 312

Ealing Trailfinders vs Hartpury RFC

Ealing Trailfinders came good in the second half of their match at home to Hartpury College to run in eight tries and maintain their grip at the top of National 1.

Three tries were scored in the first half and five after halftime, with five going to the forward pack and three to the backline in a much improved performance from the away victory against Esher a week ago.

Hartpury College showed their intentions from the start when they took the kickoff and fired the ball wide to outside centre Tom Griffiths. Ealing Trailfinders responded in kind and tapped their first penalty from inside their 22 to show that the tempo would be high for the next 80 minutes.

After enjoying good early pressure the College opened the scoring when scrumhalf Ben Ellis scooted over from a scrum five metres out and Mitchell Burton’s conversion gave the visitors an early 7-0 lead.

Jaike Carter came close to adding a second as the Gloucestershire side maintained their early pressure, but scrumhalf Alex Walker raced across to wrestle him into touch.

Ealing Trailfinders began to work their way back into the match and Phil Chesters and Tom Wheatcroft both made good ground when they had the chance to stretch their legs.

Eventually the hosts’ pressure paid off when Red Pennycook opened his account from the club when he went over from close in.

Will Harries continued to cause the Hartpury defence all manner of problems with his running from deep and by halfway through the first half Ealing Trailfinders were enjoying the bulk of territory and possession. Tom Wheatcroft eventually put the hosts ahead when he picked a strong line to run in a try that he converted.

Burton closed the gap to two points when he knocked over a penalty from in front of the posts but Ealing Trailfinders immediately went up the other end where Arthur Ellis scored his eighth of the season.

Ealing Trailfinders came out for the second half and went straight on the attack with Steve Pape and Chris Kinloch punching holes in the Hartpury defence as the hosts sought to keep the tempo high.

Five minutes into the second half Nathan Buck secured the bonus point and moments later his fellow Welshman Alex Walker popped up on Will Harries’ shoulder for the fifth, both of which Wheatcroft converted.

Hartpury College showed that they weren’t finished though and Phil Chesters had to race back to stop Robert Fuller’s break away, but there was little the home defence could do as Steve Reynolds scythed through for a try that along with Gareth Thompson’s conversion closed the scored to 31-17 with 20 minutes remaining.

Danny Kenny twice dotted down in the corner for Ealing Trailfinders sixth and seventh tries of the afternoon and on the final whistle Sam Wardingley crossed the line for a try that Ben Ward converted to bring up the half century of points.

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, Chris Kinloch, Sam Wardingley, Tom Wheatcroft, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Andrei Radoi, Nathan Buck, Llewelyn Jones, Mike Walker Fitton, Redford Pennycook, Arthur Ellis, Tom Brown (captain)
Reserves
Alun Walker, Will Davis, Steve Pape, Danny Kenny, Ronnie McLean

Hartpury College
Alex O’Meara, Stephen Reynolds, Tom Griffiths, Craig Jackson, Jaike Carter, Mitchell Burton, Ben Ellis; Mike Flook, Chris Fortey (captain), Tim Brockett, Rory Bartle, Robert Fuller, James Voss, Steven Uren, Lewis Ludlow
Reserves
William Tanner, Wayne Thompson, Joseph Dancer, Gareth Thompson, Ian Clark

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Pennycook 23, Wheatcroft 27, Ellis 35, Buck 45, Walker 47, Kenny 67, 70, Wardingley 39), Conversions (Wheatcroft 28, 46, 48, Ward 70, 79)
Hartpury College
Tries (Ellis 6, Reynolds 58), Conversions (Gareth Thompson 58), Penalties (Burton 32)

Referee – Fergus Kirby
Attendance – 494

Ealing Trailfinders vs Macclesfield

Ealing Trailfinders consolidated their place at the top of National 1 with a strong performance against bottom of the table Macclesfield.

Ben Ward’s team secured the four-try bonus point before halftime after scoring six tries in the first half and then added five more after the break. Wings Phil Chesters and James Love ran in a brace of tries and fly-half Matt Jarvis scored a try and nine conversions.

Macclesfield showed great fighting spirit and scored two tries by Elliott Brierley and Elliott Millar-Mills, while their fly-half Tom Morton scored a penalty and conversion.

Flanker Redford Pennycock made his first appearance since joining Ealing Trailfinders over the summer and he was named STORM Watches man of the match in an impressive appearance.

It didn’t take long for Ealing Trailfinders to start the scoring when Love escaped down the right wing to score within the first minute and five minutes later captain Danny Kenny added a second when he picked up and ran home from the back of a scrum.

Macclesfield hit back though when a clever chip from Morton was collected by Brierley who scored between the posts.

Centre Sam Wardingley broke through the midfield defence just before the 10 minute mark to score Ealing Trailfinders third of the match and his first of the season, Steve Pape then used his power to score his first time in over a year and Love scored his second to stretch Ealing Trailfinders’ lead further.

Morton knocked over a penalty to take Macclesfield into double figures, but Chesters ran in his first of the match just before the halftime whistle

Prop Alex Penny scored his second of the season on the 48th minute and he then teamed up with the rest of the pack to score a penalty try from a rolling maul.

Macclesfield didn’t throw in the towel though and grabbed their second try when a tricky bounce caught out the Ealing Trailfinders defence and Hearn collected the ball to race home from a few yards out.

Loose-head prop Jamie Kilbane became the fourth player in the match to score his first try of the season and as the match wore down Jarvis added a try to his conversions and five minutes from time Chesters ran in his ninth try of the season to take him to joint top of the National 1 try-scorers chart.

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, James Love, Sam Wardingley, Ronnie McLean, Phil Chesters, Matt Jarvis, Morgan Thompson; Kevin Davis, Alun Walker, Alex Penny, Steve Pape, Michael Walker-Fitton, Redford Pennycock, Arthur Ellis, Danny Kenny (captain)
Reserves
Jamie Kilbane, Will Davis, Gary Johnson, Llewelyn Jones, Ben Ward

Macclesfield
Matthew O’Reagan, Matthew King, Elliott Brierley, Greg Newton, Josh Fowles, Tom Morton, Tom Eaton; Shane Hefferman, Sam Moss, Will Robinson, David Marwick, Oliver Macaulay, Max Smith, Phil Williams, Mike Finnemore
Reserves
Ryan Jackson, Elliott Millar-Mills, Josh Hearns, Matt Thorp, Ashley Platt-Hughes

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Love 1, 29, Kenny 5, Wardingley 9, Pape 36, Chesters 37, 75, Penny 48, Penalty 58, Kilbane 66, Jarvis 68), Conversions (Jarvis 2, 5, 10, 36, 49, 59, 67, 69, 76)
Macclesfield
Tries (Brierley 5, Millar-Mills 64), Conversions (Morton 8), Penalties (Morton 31)

Man of the match – Redford Pennycock
Referee – James Sullivan
Attendance – 312

Ealing Trailfinders vs Cinderford

Ealing Trailfinders had to be patient to claim the four-try bonus point against a Cinderford side that came to Vallis Way in determined mood and who showed that they can cause problems for many teams in National 1.

It was an emotional day in W13 as the Club raised funds for Jack Fishwick, a former player who suffered a rugby accident that left him quadriplegic earlier in the year and who was among the fans to cheer the team on.

Cinderford began on the attack and for the first five minutes the West Country side enjoyed the bulk of possession with former Ealing Trailfinders hooker Sam Wilkes finding plenty of work in the tight and loose areas.

When Ealing Trailfinders eventually got hold of the ball it went wide to Phil Chesters who was bundled into touch just short of the line.

For next first 20 minutes Ealing Trailfinders continued to pressure the Cinderford line, but without success either in the forwards or the backs. Eventually though the pressure paid off when Sean O’Connell touched down after a scrum was driven over the line for a try that Matt Jarvis converted.

Cinderford went straight back on the attack, but a powerful tackle by Sam Wardingley in the three-quarters showed the determination in the side on a special day for the Club.

O’Connell nearly put Chesters away, but it was Cinderford who struck next when wing Henry Bird had a free run in on the right after good work by the Cinderford forwards had opened the space in Ealing Trailfinders’ defence.

Ealing Trailfinders hit back just before halftime to extend their lead. Chesters pounced on a loose pass on the Cinderford 22 to race home for his fifth try of the season, which Jarvis had little problem converting.

Captain Danny Kenny returned to the fray after halftime having gone off with a blood injury and immediate made his mark with a thumping tackle from kickoff. His fellow back-rower Arthur Ellis then went narrowly short to adding to the score as Ealing Trailfinders sought to take an early grip on the second half.

Cinderford fly-half Mark Davies struck a penalty narrowly wide and while Ealing Trailfinders enjoyed the bulk of possession and territory they had to be patient before Tom Wheatcroft picked a strong line off Ben Ward’s shoulder to score.

From kickoff Ealing Trailfinders’ defence was again called in to action when Kenny and wing Chris Kinloch teamed up to stop Cinderford wing Sam Baker.

Soon after, Ealing Trailfinders counter-attacked from deep and only failed to fully capitalise when Chesters failed to gather his kick ahead. Kinloch, Jarvis and Wardingley then came close to claiming the four-try bonus point, but were stopped by desperate Cinderford defence.

Eventually the fourth try came. Wardingley nudged a loose ball ahead, gathered and off-loaded to Chesters for the wing to score his second of the match. Jarvis’s yet again converted.

Once again Cinderford showed good heart to fight back and fly-half Davies wiggled over and converted his effort.

Ealing Trailfinders
Matt Jarvis, Chris Kinloch, Sam Wardingley, Tom Wheatcroft, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Tom Parker; Jamie Kilbane, Andrei Radoi, Nathan Buck, Carwyn Jones, Michael Walker-Fitton, Anders Nilsson, Arthur Ellis, Danny Kenny (captain)
Reserves
Kevin Davis, Ignas Darkintis, Stephen Pape, Sean O’Connell, Alex Walker

Cinderford
Michael Wilcox (captain), Henry Bird, Charles Norman, Samuel Hanks, Mark Davies, Daniel Pointon; Joseph Smart, Sam Wilkes, Elliot Booley, Lance Randall, Roger Birkin, George Mills, Christopher McNeil, George Evans
Reserves
Alexander Frame, James Brooks, Luke Cole, Stefan Hawley, Milo Reynolds

Scorers
Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (O’Connell 23, Chesters 39, 74 Wheatcroft 61), Conversions (Jarvis 24, 40, 62, 75)
Cinderford
Tries (Bird 32, Davies 76), Conversions (Davies 77)

Referee – Matthew O’Grady
Attendance – 498

Ealing Trailfinders vs Blaydon RFC

Ealing, London, 20 September, 2014 – Ealing Trailfinders ensured that they ended the day with a full 15 points and top of National 1 after running in five tries against Blaydon.

Captain Tom Brown set the tone when he caught the kickoff and went on a charge through the Blaydon defence that immediately put Ealing Trailfinders on the front foot.

Chris Kinloch carried on the momentum and after he was stopped Ben Ward picked out Phil Chesters with a crosskick, but he and Ronnie were unable to control the ball.

The hosts won a penalty from the resulting scrum and after a catch and drive from the lineout hooker Andrei Radoi burrowed over to open the scoring.

Minutes later Ealing Trailfinders extended the lead further still. Tom Wheatcroft intercepted a loose pass, broke into the Blaydon 22 and sent through a grubber to Chesters, who had the simple job of picking up and flopping over the line for his third of the season, which James Love converted.

Arthur Ellis then grabbed his third try of the season when he latched onto the back of a rolling maul, before Blaydon fought back through their pack.

Local lad Ellis grabbed his third of the season when he attached himself to the back of a rolling maul, but Blaydon were next on the scoresheet when fullback Nathan Bailey ran a sharp line to cross the line for a try that centre Andrew Baggett’s converted.

Ealing Trailfinders came close to hitting back immediately, but after nifty footwork by Love, his opposite number Bailey tackled him into touch.

They managed to wrap up the bonus point before the break though. Wheatcroft again latched onto a loose pass, raced away and McLean kept the move going by finding Chesters out wide and he scored in the corner.

The first half scoring didn’t end there though and Love knocked over a penalty on the stroke of halftime to stretch the lead further still.

Chris Kinloch carried on the scoring eight minutes into the second half with his first try of the season and with Love’s conversion from the touchline it put the hosts 30 points ahead.

Blaydon continued to battle and pressure Ealing Trailfinders’ defence, but were unable to find a way through. Then when Ealing Trailfinders went on attack their defence was in dogged mood and kept the hosts out.

It continued in that vein as the match drew to a close, both teams unable to find a way through determined tackling, though Ellis came close to adding a second when he was stopped on the line.

Ealing Trailfinders

James Love, Chris Kinloch, Ronnie McLean, Tom Wheatcroft, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Andrei Radoi, Nathan Buck, Carwyn Jones, Llewelyn Jones, Danny Kenny, Arthur Ellis, Tom Brown (captain)

Reserves

Kevin Davis, Alex Penny, Steve Pape, Sean O’Connell, Matt Jarvis

Scorers

Tries (Radoi 7, Chesters 10, 38, Ellis 17, Kinloch 48), Conversions (Love 11, 18, 39, 49), Penalties (Love 40)

Blaydon

Nathan Bailey, Sean Brown, Thomas Small, Andrew Baggett, Thomas Jeffery, Craig Willis, Rhodri Adamson; Robert Kalbraier, Francis Entressengle, Andrew Foster, Christopher Wearmouth, Shaun English, Keith Laughlin, Harry Bate, Gavin Jones

Reserves

Trevor Davison, Victor Guignourd, Andrew Archibald, Oliver Wood, Frazer Wilson

Scorers

Try (Bailey 25), Conversion (Baggett 25)

Referee – Shane Lewis

Attendance – 275

Ealing Trailfinders vs Loughborough Students

Ealing Trailfinders started their season with a five-point win over a dogged Loughborough Students side who fought hard for the entire 80 minutes and ensured that Ben Ward’s side couldn’t relax at all throughout the match.

After the match settled down following the initial exchanges it was the home side that scored first and they did so in simple fashion. Carwyn Jones took a good lineout catch, the pack drove him towards the line and with the ball working its way back local lad Arthur Ellis had the simple task of touching down.

Loughborough responded immediately though. Centre Rhys Owen broke through the Ealing defence and while he was stopped from reaching the line by Alex Walker, England U20 scrum-half Henry Taylor was on hand to fire the recycled ball wide to wing William Edwards who had an easy run into the corner.

Owen then increased their lead when he swooped onto a Ben Ward pass and raced away from his 22 to score.

Ealing Trailfinders settled down though and began to attack through the phases with the forwards leading the way and eventually their efforts were rewarded.

The pack won a penalty from a scrum when they managed to gather momentum with their drive. Gary Johnson caught Andrei Radoi’s lineout throw and again Ellis was at the back of the drive to dot down.

As the half wore on Edwards came close to racing away after he had wiggled free from Ealing’s defence, but Walker and Phil Chesters bundled him into touch.

It was then Chesters who went close when he chased down a Danny Kenny clearance, but he was unable to gather the ball with the line at his mercy and the teams went in at half-time tied at 10 apiece.

Ealing’s forwards again took an early grip on proceedings and three times they came close to a third catch and drive try having won a scrum penalty.

However, after Nathan Buck showed a good turn of pace his front row partner Kevin Davis was on hand to collect the recycled ball and drive over.

The pack continued to exert their dominance and from another catch and drive they mauled their way from the halfway line, but after crossing the Loughborough whitewash Danny Kenny was ruled to have been held up.

From the scrum they twice tried to push their opposite numbers over for a score and on the second attempt the referee whistled for a penalty try that James Love converted easily to wrap up the result.

Ealing Trailfinders
Matt Jarvis, Chris Kinloch, Ronnie McLean, Tom Wheatcroft, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Andrei Radoi, Alex Penny, Carwyn Jones, Gary Johnson, Sean O’Connell, Arthur Ellis, Tom Brown (captain)
Reserves
Kevin Davis, Nathan Buck, Llewelyn Jones, Danny Kenny, James Love

Loughborough Students
Jack Pons, William Edwards, Rhys Owen, Jack Bradford, Jonny Short, Joshua Sharp, Henry Taylor; Harry Rudkin, Isaac Miller, Harry Elrington, Jacob Albon, John Collister, Matthew Rogerson, James Freeman (captain), Edward Taylor
Reserves
Jacon Fields, Nathan Higgins, Adam Peters, Simon Sexton, Jack Wardle

Referee – Robert Warburton
Attendance – 320

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