Ealing Trailfinders’ 1871 fell at the final hurdle in their attempt to reach the final of the Papa John’s Community Cup Counties 2 South Plate, with Chipstead’s powerful forwards and dogged defence largely responsible for the Surrey side booking their place at the StoneX Stadium on Coronation Day, where they will face Gloucestershire’s Bream.

A difficult coach journey along the M25, clogged with bank holiday traffic on a rare day of warm sunshine, led to a delayed 2.45 kick-off, and while the later start did allow Ealing to prepare adequately they started slowly, with possession lost despite a clean catch from the kick-off. The 1871 pack was ominously nudged backwards at the first set scrum, and early superiority told when Chipstead scored in the left corner through their forwards with 5 minutes on the clock. The home side returned to the attack and were held up on the line by last-ditch defence. Finally 1871, shorn of several key players due either to injuries picked up at Woodbridge in the quarter final or to unavailability, began to show some cohesion and dominated territory around the quarter-hour mark. The first of what was to become a heavy toll of injuries brought Reggie Elliott-Jones onto the field, and his rampaging runs frequently had the Surrey side on the back foot. With 27 minutes gone Chipstead were penalised for a high tackle, but Harry Vidler’s kick to touch for the line-out unfortunately went dead. However, three minutes later Ealing dispossessed the Chipstead scrum half, Vidler kicked through, the returning David Niven, another injury replacement, expertly collected, Elliott-Jones knocked a hole in the home defence and the ball was swung out to the right wing, where Louis Walker finished with aplomb. A first half of 51 minutes due to injuries on both sides ended with the score tied at 5-5.

Ealing enjoyed complete dominance in the early part of the second period but were kept out by solid defence. A penalty by Vidler put his team 8-5 ahead and left them seemingly well placed, However, in their first attack of the second period on 53 minutes Chipstead broke away to score wide on the right. 1871 spurned the opportunity to go for the posts with a reasonably straightforward penalty that would have restored their lead, resolute defence again preventing a try. Clinical finishing enabled the home side to notch their third try, but with the conversion attempt again failing Ealing were still just one score adrift at 15-8 with just over 10 minutes plus time added on for the many injuries to go, and won a penalty for not releasing on the Chipstead 22 metre line. This time Vidler went for the posts, but narrowly missed. The home team’s power up front resulted in a steam of possession, and despite going a man down to a red card for a high tackle, Chipstead put a gloss on the score with their fourth try, before the French referee, resplendent in pink, brought an end to proceedings.

Man of the match was flanker Toby Holt, who as ever tackled as though his life depended on it. Ealing captain Lewis Steadman was philosophical after the game. ‘Not to be, unfortunately. Cannot fault the commitment and desire, with a fair few broken bodies out on the pitch by the time the full-time whistle was blown. Credit must be given to Chipstead, who brought a level of physicality in the second half that we were unable to mach. We wish them the best for the final.’

Defeat in the scenic Surrey countryside ends what has been a largely successful season for Ealing 1871 1st XV, with more than 1000 points scored. The North West Middlesex Floodlit Cup Final against Ruislip has been deferred until late summer, by which time it is hoped the many injuries will have healed.