With the Middlesex Merit Table Division 1 champions plaque and promotion to MMT Premier already secured, Ealing Trailfinders 1871 2nds took on Old Priorians 2nds in the semi-final of the North-West Middlesex Floodlit Cup, a competition that has been revived after lying dormant since the Covid season.

Having beaten the opposition twice in the league, Ealing began confidently and opted to put points on the board with a penalty by wing Alex Tarrant after 6 minutes. Tarrant then turned try scorer two minutes later and converted to make the score 10-0. However, the local rivals were undaunted and secured two tries of their own, both unconverted, by the quarter mark to draw level. 1871 responded to these setbacks and by the break had scored two more tries, through No. 8 Kavan Fitzpatrick and prop Kimani Goppy.

Despite dominating proceedings, Ealing were unable to stretch their 20-10 in a largely uneventful second half until Fitzpatrick added to his impressive total for the season with 14 minutes remaining, Tarrant adding the extras, and the win was assured by further tries by prop Dan O’Mahony and hooker Albert Stoute, both converted. Finally, wing Marquis Daly-Vidal drew the biggest cheer of the night by intercepting and outpacing the despairing defence from within his own half.

Ealing 1871 2nds will contest the final against the winners of the other semi-final between Ruislip and Harrow on a date and at a venue yet to be determined.