Under the Vallis Way lights and watched by a vociferous crowd of home and away supporters, Ealing Trailfinders 1871 emerged with a full five league points, but were pushed all the way by a determined Wasps side sitting third in the Counties 2 Herts &Middlesex league table. An immaculate man-of-the-match kicking display by Harry Vidler proved crucial in achieving a seventh straight win.

Ealing made a flying start, scoring with barely a minute on the clock. From their own kick-off, they forced an error at the breakdown, dominated the resulting scrum, and after looking to move the ball left brought it back towards the forwards, where 2nd row Reggie Elliott-Jones made the line with a powerful straight run, Vidler adding the extras. Wasps were undeterred by this early setback and reduced the deficit with a penalty on 6 minutes, one of no fewer than 18 penalties conceded by 1871 over the course of the game for a wide variety of offences. Vidler restored the seven-point advantage with a penalty on the quarter-hour mark, but Ealing suffered a serious blow with an injury to in-form full back Josh Steadman, whose scintillating run from deep in his own 22 metre area was ended by a despairing ankle tap that brought him crashing to earth with what turned out to be a dislocated elbow requiring a trip to A&E. Captain and brother Lewis Steadman moved to full back, bringing a second appearance off the bench for centre Semisi Ikahihifo. Wasps drew level with a converted try a few minutes later and then, after another Vidler penalty, moved into a 15-13 lead with a second close-range try through their forwards. A further penalty increased the visitors’ lead to five points, but Ealing went on the attack in time added on at the end of the first half and scored through the prolific Tim Hitchcock after they had opted to take a scrum when awarded a penalty. With Vidler’s conversion, 1871 held a narrow 20-18 lead going into the break.

Ealing’s game management improved markedly after a slightly ragged first half, with the result that they conceded only one score in the second period, a penalty, while doubling their own total to finish comfortably ahead. It was, however, Wasps who put the first second-half points on the board, before 1871 responded a minute later with a well-executed kick by Vidler towards Louis Aitcheson-Walker, in space out on the right wing. The high-scoring winger had to drift infield to collect, continued on the same angle then changed direction to evade the last defender. Vidler bisected the posts. With 15 minutes to go, Ealing were still only one score ahead against dogged opponents who tackled strongly, and were grateful for two Vidler penalties within three minutes to keep the scoreboard ticking over and make the win look secure. As the final whistle approached victory was assured, but in the last play of the match Kavan Fitzpatrick, filling in at 2nd row, took a clean catch in the middle of the line-out after Wasps had been penalised at the breakdown and, seeing an inviting gap, charged through to the line to notch his team’s fourth try and a bonus point to maintain their perfect start to the league campaign.

With Brunel University held to a narrow win by Harrow and missing out on the try bonus, 1871 enjoy a healthy six point lead at the top of the table, with a clutch of four teams including Wasps a further eight points back with three losses each. After a week off, Ealing travel to Hendon and then complete the first round of fixtures against Brunel University, again under the lights at Vallis Way.