Ealing Amateurs 1sts started the New Year with their thirteenth straight victory but were given a stern test in a friendly against Belsize Park, currently sitting mid-table in Herts Middlesex Division 1. 

There were no signs of post-Christmas torpor as Ealing attacked from the kick-off, only a last-ditch tackle preventing an early try. It was then Park’s turn to mount a sustained attack, but after the first 25 minutes there was still no score. The stalemate was finally broken when No 8 Adam Hulmston picked up from a scrum and powered over under the posts, with Alex Gillespie adding the conversion. Despite a period of pressure the home side were unable to add to their tally before half-time.

Soon after the break Ealing were guilty of missing early tackles on the dangerous Park left wing, who sped away down the touch line for a converted try. Within two minutes the seven-point margin was restored when fly-half Andy Jack, on as a replacement for Gillespie, found a gap in the visiting defence following good work by the forwards. Jack converted his own try from half-way out.

Ten minutes into the second half winger Pascal Baptiste, on for the injured Jonny Murphy, extended the lead by squeezing over from quickly recycled ball following a barnstorming run by flanker Des Crinion, Jack again adding the extras. Belsize Park then hauled themselves back into contention with a converted try by finally working an overlap after repeatedly pounding the Ealing line, but with no further addition to the score the Amateurs held onto their 100% record for the season.