A much-changed Ealing 1871 side had to dig deep to ultimately come out on top against Uxbridge in the final of the 2019-2020 North-West Middlesex Floodlit Cup, originally due to have been played in April last year. It took a try in time added on to overcome an Uxbridge team who looked considerably stronger since last encountered in Herts Middlesex League 2 two years ago.

Uxbridge began confidently and were soon awarded a penalty, kicked to touch close to the Ealing line. 1871 held out, but after 5 minutes conceded a try from a charged-down kick, despite the scrum having shunted their opponents back. The conversion from under the posts was successful.Ealing full-back Aidan FitzGerald sent a long kick deep into Uxbridge territory and nearly collected, Uxbridge offended at the breakdown but Callum Nolan-Hutchinson's attempt at goal missed to the left. With 14 minutes gone a forward drive set up by a run down the left wing by FitzGerald drew another penalty, but this too was missed. Ealing were enjoying a good spell of possession around the half-hour mark, with a darting run by wing Ben Pink and a crunching tackle by Harvey Paull in the centre setting up a scrum close to the line. Ealing drove powerfully and No 8 Matt Donnelly touched down, but the referee had already awarded a penalty try. With the break approaching, Uxbridge moved into a 14-7 lead with a try in the centre, well converted from half-way out.

Uxbridge comfortably held onto their lead in the second period, with 1871 conceding too many penalties, mostly for holding on or offside resulting from inferiority at the breakdown, although a spell camped on the opposition line could have brought a try, if not a yellow card for persistent offending. A knock-on over the try line brought an end to the period of attack, and with a quarter of the game to go Uxbridge added 3 points with a penalty to move two scores ahead. Ealing returned to the attack and pounded the line for several minutes, but wrong options meant that precious time passed without a score, until the referee eventually lost patience after four Ealing penalties and went under the post to signal the second penalty try of the day. As the game moved into time added on, Ealing were at the wrong end of the pitch, but slowly built possession and were awarded a penalty around half-way. The long kick by FitzGerald, who had moved from 15 to 10, missed touch close to the opposition line, but Uxbridge knocked on in attempting to gather. A solid scrum gave FitzGerald the platform from which to ghost over the line for the winning try, which he converted himself. It then just remained for Ealing to see out the last two minutes of added time, having snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

Ealing 1871 regained the cup after defeat by Ruislip in 2019 following a run of seven successes. Uxbridge, meanwhile, will consider themselves unlucky not to have captured the trophy for just the third time in the 23 years the competition has been running.