Ealing Trailfinders 1871’s long run of consecutive victories finally came to an end away to the league leaders Brunel University, who fielded 14 players in their squad of 18 who were not involved in 1871’s home victory over the same opposition back in October, the students’ only loss in the league to date. Brunel dominated the first half only for Ealing to mount an impressive comeback in the second period that came close to yielding a losing bonus point. However, over the course of the game, Brunel’s ruck speed and width made the difference.

Mindful of 1871 being one of three significant rivals at the top of the league and having accumulated more than 50 points a week earlier against second-placed Cheshunt, Brunel were quick out of the blocks with quick ball and powerful running by their back line. Seven minutes into the game the referee awarded a penalty try for a collapsed maul, which also resulted in a yellow card for flanker Toby Holt, although the students themselves had to play with 14 for 10 minutes following a yellow for a dangerous tackle in the air. With 1871’s leading try scorer Josh Steadman invalided off with a pulled hamstring, the University side continued to dominate proceedings and added a second try. Harry Vidler bisected the posts with a penalty on 35 minutes to leave the score well poised at 12-3, but Ealing conceded two further tries just before the interval, one of which was converted to leave the score at 24-3 at the break.

The contest became much more even after the resumption, with Ealing’s scrum increasingly dominant, although a number of promising positions came to nothing as a result of lost line-outs. Brunel increased the lead to 27-3 with a penalty against the run of play, but the students illegally prevented a pushover try with a quarter of the game left, leading to the award of a penalty try. The majority of the game continued to be played deep in the Brunel half, and with the last move of the game Richard Rhydderch-Roberts at scrum half added to his mounting tally for the season by stretching to the line, Vidler adding the extras to leave his team 10 points adrift.

Against an opposition who in most cases regularly ply their trade in the BUCS mid-week universities league and clearly belong one if not two levels higher than Counties 1, 1871 played with a high level of skill and commitment that bodes well for the rest of the season. Man of the match, despite spending 10 minutes on the touchline for his response to foul play by the students’ No 10, who was also dispatched to the sin bin, was centre Ryan Conyard.

This Saturday, 25 January, sees 1871 travel to Hackney Marshes for a re-arranged fixture against fifth-placed Old Streetonians.