On a warm and sunny early-March day, Ealing Trailfinders 1871 eventually put on a show befitting conditions conducive to running rugby after a somewhat lethargic first half to secure a bonus-win, their 17th victory out of 20, with two to play.

Having given a first league appearance to flanker Ollie McAllister a week previously, the coaching team called up another debutant who had come through the Ealing youth system in fly half Calum Jones, who started on the bench and played a significant role after the break in the six tries to two win. Despite a good warm-up, 1871 looked a little flat in the opening exchanges, and found themselves 3 points down in the first minute from a straightforward penalty. Impatience and uncharacteristic simple errors kept Ealing on the back foot and enabled Fullerians to move 8 points clear after 12 minutes with a well-executed cross-field kick to the right wing. Six minutes later hooker Leo Codrington-Lambert took a great angle in support of the backs to wrong-foot the defence, Flynn Ward’s conversion attempt unluckily rebounding off the post. However, Fullerians moved 15-5 ahead with a well-worked try from an attacking scrum, Toby Holt’s despairing attempt to prevent the touchdown leading to a heavy collision with the right-hand upright from which both emerged apparently unscathed. 1871 moved back within 3 points around the half-hour mark with a try on the right wing by flanker Ben Thompson following a miss pass to Ryan Conyard. Ward nailed the difficult conversion.

Ealing retreated to the changing room at half time to gather their thoughts and hear the coaches’ analysis, and whatever was said clearly worked in a second half that yielded four more tries while shutting out the Watford-based opponents completely. Within 5 minutes of the re-start Josh Steadman scored in the left-hand corner from the third phase following a scrum on the other side of the pitch, put into space by Jack Hobbs who had come into the line from the opposite wing. It took until the three-quarter mark before Ealing were able to convert their increasing superiority into points and secure the four-try bonus through Will Day, twisting over the line near the posts, from where Jones added the extras. Despite one of the less rewarding days in the lineout, 1871 became ever more dominant with short passes, powerful forward charges and quick recycling with the ball run back at pace when solid defensive sets forced Fullerians to kick deep. Victory was sealed by two tries in the last 10 minutes, scored by Conyard and Lewis Steadman.

Man of the match was Kyle Beck, for a try-saving tackle at a crucial time in the first half and a lively performance throughout the afternoon.

Elsewhere, Finchley managed to collect a losing bonus and a four-try bonus despite losing to Brunel, so remain in third place in the table ahead of Ealing. With both teams due to play second-placed Cheshunt in the last two weeks of the league season, there is a plenty of potential for placings to change in the run-in. Before the trip to Cheshunt, 1871 have a home fixture against Old Streetonians, one place below them in fifth but with a massive gap of more than 30 league points.