Ealing 1871 moved 5 points clear at the top of Counties 2 Herts & Middlesex with a resounding victory built on a solid forward platform and incisive running and slick passing along the back line, adding another 10 tries to the season’s tally.

On a pitch that was in excellent condition despite recent heavy rainfall brought by Storm Ciarán, Tabard began brightly, with the confidence of a team that had won three of their first four league games, and advanced to the Ealing 22 metre line with a penalty, but 1871 stole the line-out and gradually moved upfield. Harry Vidler kicked a penalty to touch, the forwards drove towards the line from the ensuing line-out and prop Tim Hitchcock eventually forced his way over near the posts with 7 minutes played. Another penalty soon afterwards was taken as a scrum on the 5 metre line. With the Tabard pack back-pedalling, Lewis Steadman at 13 had an easy run to the posts. Tabard responded 4 minutes later when their forwards pounded the 1871 line from a penalty and eventually found a way through . The gap was restored soon afterwards with Jack Hobbs at inside centre exploiting turnover ball with a straight run to the posts. Points continued to accumulate with Harrison Slater making the most of an overlap to score on the left wing and Hobbs adding his second try of the day courtesy of a strong run out of defence and well-timed pass by full back Josh Steadman. With the last play of the half Vidler landed a penalty to leave his team a comfortable 36-5 ahead going into the break.

Five minutes into the second half, Ealing kicked a penalty deep into Tabard territory, and Hitchcock went over for his second of the day from a clean line-out catch. Josh Steadman was next on the scoresheet, before a clean line-out catch by Nyall Wake launched an attack by the backs, where Josh Steadman injected pace and created an overlap for Louis Walker. Ealing did not threaten the Tabard line for the next quarter of an hour, during which a moment of ill-discipline by Vidler led to a yellow card. When a try eventually came with Josh Steadman’s second, Harrison Slater took over kicking duties to land a conversion alongside Vidler’s eventual haul of six. In the final score of the day, replacement back Ben Parkinson hacked on loose ball, forcing a drop-out. An attempted clearance kick was badly mis-hit straight to Lewis Steadman who headed towards the posts but wrong-footed the defence by changing direction and putting the returning Vidler over in the corner.

The coaches named flanker Gereint Price and Josh Steadman as joint man of the match.

 Averaging over 60 points in the first four games played, 1871 look well placed with rivals Brunel University and Wasps FC both suffering unexpected defeats, but will need to maintain their good form in the next fixture away to Saracens Amateurs, where a single-point defeat last season on a muddy pitch damaged their promotion campaign. An area of concern to be addressed despite a dominant display was the penalty count of 14, mostly for holding on and high tackles.