A scintillating first-half display in a 16th win out of 19 league games kept Ealing Trailfinders 1871 close on the heels of the three teams above them in Counties 1 Herts and Middlesex. After weeks of miserable cold and wet weather, a good, firm pitch on a sunny St David’s Day with strong hints of spring offered ideal conditions for Ealing fast, free-running style.

Mid-table Hitchin gave an early indication of where their strength lies with an emphatic shove in the game’s first set scrum to win the ball against the put-in and test the visiting defence, which emerged from the test with flying colours as it would do for the rest of the half. When Ealing gained possession, swiftly took play into the Hitchin half and drew a penalty, Harry Vidler put 3 points on the board with 7 minutes played. Evident superiority in the back line was rewarded 3 minutes later, despite Hitchin having spurned the chance to take 3 points immediately after the re-start and instead having knocked on in the tackle. From the resultant scrum, Josh Steadman made a darting run down the right-hand touchline, the ball was moved left at pace and Lewis Steadman at outside centre went on an arcing run back inside before linking up with brother Josh, who finished under the posts. Seven minutes later, 1871 turned defence into attack with devastating effect. The pack won a scrum against the head, Josh Steadman made an initial break and in a flash the ball reached Ryan Conyard at inside centre, who missed out Lewis Steadman and sent Jack Hobbs away down the left. Full-back Keir Gordon, in support, beat the last defender with a perfectly weighted grubber and collected to score to the left of the sticks. Ealing kept up the momentum and added a third try just short of the half-hour mark. They collected from a drop-out and attacked through the forwards before unleashing the backs. Hitchin offended in front of their posts, and with the referee signalling advantage, scrum half Richard Rhydderch-Roberts forced his way over the line. The bonus point was secured with 34 minutes on the clock, with Lewis Steadman intercepting a wayward pass and running 80 metres to finish under the posts. Ealing were already a man down with a yellow card to Rhydderch-Roberts for a high tackle, and were down to 13 with prop Tim Hitchcock sin-binned for not rolling away when they finished the half with a flourish. From a clean lineout catch, one of many by Gereint Price and Nyall Wake throughout the match, the forwards punched holes in the defence, the ball was moved left, Gordon, in a similar position to the one from which he had scored, was tackled close to the left touchline, and Luke Parry, playing at flanker, was on hand to scoop up the pass in the tackle and score near the posts, giving Vidler the opportunity for a fifth successful conversion.

The second half proved less entertaining and for the most part a battle of attrition with just two scores, one unconverted try to either side, and a plethora of penalties and two further yellow cards for Ealing, to Leo Codrington-Lambert and the returning Harry Reed, and one for Hitchin to go with another they had picked up half-way through the first period. Ealing’s try was scored by Price, later named man of the match, who won the ball at a penalty line-out and was driven all the way to the try line.

Next up is a home fixture against Old Streetonians, currently sitting in fifth place but a massive 26 league points behind 1871, before another home fixture against Fullerians and finally an enticing visit to Cheshunt, currently sitting in second.