Ealing Trailfinders 36 – Blaydon 7

A much improved Blaydon side found themselves 19 points adrift after just 16 minutes, due in part to their first ever experience of an artificial surface, but were the dominant team for much of the game and on the end of a somewhat misleading final score-line.

They had ample scoring opportunities, ignoring a number of kickable penalties in favour of an attacking line-out, whilst the home side were quick to capitalise whenever they coughed up possession.

Ealing hooker Andre Radoi opened the scoring after the No8 had ran 75 metres through some poor tackling, and when Blaydon lost possession again their fly-half found prolific try score Phil Chesters on the wing to race in, James Love converting.

The Blaydon forwards were then pressing the home line but inexplicably let the ball out, Ealing intercepted, and Arthur Ellis was away for another length of the field score with Love on target to make it 19-0.

Blaydon once more responded and pulled back 7 points when full-back Nathan Bailey joined the line at speed to storm over, Andrew Baggett adding the extras, but just as quickly Ealing latched onto another loose ball and hacked it up-field for Chesters to grab his second.

Love with the conversion and then a penalty on 40 minutes made it a disappointing 29-7 at the break.

Flanker Chris Kinloch crashed over in the corner for a 5th Ealing try 8 minutes into the second period, Love once more on the mark, but that was to be the end of the scoring.

Blaydon were almost permanently in the home half for the remainder of the game but sadly lacked the clinical finishing that Ealing had shown earlier.

John Brennan