Ealing Trailfinders 1871 gained sweet revenge for the only defeat of their 2024-25 season with their ninth straight win thanks to a superb display in a very tightly contested encounter with four tries and a vital three conversions by Harry Vidler, becoming the first team to emerge from Finchley with a try bonus point. Despite finding themselves 14-0 down mid-way through the first half and then 24-14 in the second period, 1871 dug deep and inched ahead with a few minutes left on the clock.

On a tacky pitch after recent rain but in bright conditions, Ealing started well and took the game to the hosts, eventually drawing a penalty out on the right. Vidler’s kick rebounded off an upright, and roared on by an enthusiastic home support it was Finchley who took the lead by going route one from a penalty close to the Ealing line, shortly after full back Keir Gordon had somewhat harshly been yellow-carded for what was deemed to be a tip tackle. After 25 minutes the home team, who had won their first nine league games before very narrow defeats to Brunel University and then Cheshunt, doubled their lead when a wicked bounce from a speculative kick downfield produced a try on the left. A third score would have made a comeback difficult, but quick passing along the Ealing line in an attacking position from clean line-out possession gave right wing Josh Steadman just the space he needed to squeeze over, Vidler nailing a tricky conversion.  With the interval approaching, Ealing were awarded a penalty in the middle of the park. Richard Rhydderch-Roberts at scrum half took a quick tap and popped the ball to Josh Steadman, who sped away to the line. Vidler converted again to level the score at 14-14 going into the break.

Having played with the advantage of the slope and the breeze in the first half and having lost second row Nyall Wake to an elbow injury, but bolstered by the appearance off the bench of returning prop Pat Nash, 1871 conceded a third try five minutes after the re-start through slick handling from a quickly taken penalty, although the conversion attempt crucially sailed wide. A fourth Finchley try followed with a well-worked catch and drive, the conversion again missed, leaving 1871 with a deficit of 10 points to make up. This was reduced to 3 by a well-executed catch and drive from a penalty line-out, with the ball touched down by hooker Luke Parry. Vidler crucially converted. 1871 were becoming increasingly dominant in the last quarter of the game, resulting in two yellow cards against Finchley for high tackles. The numerical advantage finally told with Josh Steadman appearing outside Rhydderch-Roberts and jinking inside to beat the last defender and complete his hat-trick. The conversion attempt was missed, but the greens comfortably saw out the last five minutes deep in the Finchley half.

Steadman was inevitably named man of the match for an outstanding display of finishing. Coach Phil Smith was delighted by the team’s performance against determined and well-drilled opposition and said the victory would live long in the memory, a fair reward for a lot of hard work put in by the whole squad at training.

This coming Friday, 20 September, Ealing 1871 entertain Chiswick in their last game of 2024 with the return fixture against Brunel University to look forward to in January.