After eight straight wins followed by an agonising single-point loss, and averaging over 40 points a game, Ealing Trailfinders, captained by second row Matt Donnelly standing in for Lewis Steadman, concussed the previous week against Saracens Amateurs, came unstuck against a skilful, well-drilled and physically fit Cheshunt side who remain unbeaten.

As was to be expected with two teams beaten only once between them in 18 matches, the opening exchanges were even, but disaster struck for Ealing after 3 minutes when a speculative kick by the Cheshunt fly half towards the try line bounced unexpectedly, as rugby balls are wont to do, and instead of the ball being safely shepherded over the line and touched down it was a Cheshunt hand that reached it first. The conversion attempt from half-way out on the right was missed. Four minutes later the Hertfordshire visitors doubled their lead with a powerful driving maul from a penalty line out, to the delight of a large and enthusiastic crowd of beblazered supporters. The conversion attempt again failed to dissect the uprights.

Despite these early setbacks, Ealing then enjoyed several minutes of territorial advantage, and were unfortunate to cede possession with a knock-on after opting for a penalty scrum close to the visitors’ line. The well-marshalled Cheshunt rearguard repelled repeated short-range attacks, and the Ealing defence was itself put under pressure with accurate deep kicks towards the corners, from one of which the dangerous left wing came close to adding a third try. As the half-time whistle approached, 1871 were still very much in the contest but suffered a telling blow with the Cheshunt left wing intercepting and going over in the corner.

Turning around 15-0 down, Ealing conceded a fourth try 5 minutes after the restart through their forwards following another penalty award. With the conversion this time successful, 1871 had a mountain to climb if they were to get back into contest. With a quarter of the game remaining they finally gained just reward for their endeavours courtesy of an outstanding try by inside centre Josh Steadman, who after good work by the forwards, notably the indefatigable loose head Dan O’Mahony, turned on the afterburners to carve his way through the visiting defence in similar fashion to the candidate for try of the season he scored the previous week.

Having finally made it onto the scoreboard, 1871 lost possession in the face of fierce Cheshunt tackling on 66 minutes, and a long, raking kick towards the right-hand corner set up a fifth try, well converted. With 8 minutes remaining Cheshunt collected a wayward Ealing kick to score a sixth, and 3 minutes later the increasingly dominant visitors added a seventh.

Ealing have now completed the first round of fixtures, still leading the table as London Scottish, Saracens Amateurs and Cheshunt all have games still to play while 1871 take a well-earned break. Upcoming fixtures for Saracens against Scottish and Cheshunt will have a significant bearing on the positions of the dominant top four at the half-way mark in the season.