U23s show character in overhauling the Guernsey boys

Undaunted by a 19-point deficit with a quarter of the game gone, Ealing 1871 U23s, with several players on debut, showed great self-belief by fighting their way back into the game and finally sealing victory deep into time added on.

The Channel Islanders, featuring a big, well-drilled pack, took the game to Ealing, who were guilty of allowing themselves to be dominated physically in the early stages, and were rewarded with a try after 5 minutes when their No 6 barged his way over, a sweetly struck conversion adding an extra 2 points. Ten minutes later, when the home side were penalised for offside, the Vikings opted to kick to touch, won clean lineout ball and drove over the line for an unconverted try. After the U23s had conceded two more penalties, the visitors again kicked to touch and drove over from the lineout. Ealing then immediately woke from their slumbers and started to dominate the set scrums and forward exchanges. A potential short-range try was ruled out because the unsighted referee deemed the ball to have been held up, but soon afterwards points were finally put on the board when centre Manuel Viviani, impressive throughout, took a clever angle to beat the defence, with Callum Nolan-Hutchinson nailing the conversion. With a couple of minutes left before the break, Ealing added a second through hooker Albert Stoute, who went low from short range to evade despairing tackles.

The last 10 minutes of the first period had shown Ealing increasingly dominant, and while no scores ensued in the early period of the second half, they used the wind advantage to pin their opponents back. After a lengthy pause in play due to an unfortunate leg break for debutant Max Redman, Ealing gained a penalty deep in Guernsey territory, lost the resultant lineout but scored through Toby Holt after a knock-on in the Guernsey back line. An equalising conversion by Nolan-Hutchinson set up a tense final period, and victory was sealed deep into injury time when Stoute scored his second try of the afternoon. The U23s then saw out the last few minutes to record a notable victory to go with other recent narrow but deserved wins over Henley and Ampthill.

Man of the match was indefatigable skipper Oscar Avis, who was never far from the action.