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Ealing Trailfinders 1871 2nd XV earned their place in the Middlesex Merit Table play-offs with a dominant second-half display. Fielding a blend of experience and youth, Ealing started at high tempo, and opened the scoring with 4 minutes on the clock through No 8 and captain Kavan Fitzpatrick, who spotted a gap and finished close to the posts, giving fly-half Lewis Steadman a straightforward conversion. Hackney tried to run from deep 5 minutes later, but an attempted pass to launch the backline was neatly intercepted by wing Danny O’Sullivan, who ran in unopposed for a try converted by Steadman. Despite these early setbacks, Hackney stuck to the task and forced a succession of penalties in the Ealing half, eventually scoring through their big forwards following a series of pick-and-goes. The visitors enjoyed plentiful possession for the remainder of the first period and were rewarded with 3 points from a penalty following further Ealing ill-discipline. In time added on before the break, Ealing stretched the lead to 19-10 after going through the phases, with 2nd row Aidan Jones collecting a pass from Lewis Steadman and crossing wide on the left.

Having conceded 9 penalties in the first half, Ealing were urged during the interval to cut out the ill-discipline and to play a wide, high-paced game rather than become involved in arm-wrestling with their bigger opponents. Although the first 10 minutes of the second half yielded little of note for either side, Ealing were beginning to look dangerous. Despite losing flanker Ian Kilcoyne to a yellow card on 51 minutes for a high tackle, one of only four penalties conceded in the second period, Ealing moved further ahead when Hackney reacted slowly to conceding a penalty and Kyle Beck, who finished the game playing alongside father Eddie, went over in the corner. With the home side increasingly dominant, a fifth try was scored by Kilcoyne almost immediately after returning to the field of play with a quarter of the game remaining, after the defence had been pierced by Will Day and a sniping run by scrum-half Josh Steadman, and 8 minutes later Hackney eventually ran out of defenders after a succession of Ealing penalties, with wing Louis Aitcheson-Walker receiving a quickly taken penalty and finishing in the corner.

Special mention should go to Under-18s player Leonardo Olivieri, who clearly enjoyed his first experience of senior rugby, both in the back row and at 2nd row.