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EALING TRAILFINDERS RFC  29  v  DMPRFC  17

EALING TRAILFINDERS RFC 29 v DMPRFC 17

Kevin Robinson22 Feb 2015 - 01:35
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In a performance that deserved at least a losing bonus point, DMPRFC return to the North East empty-handed from the capital (Match report attached)

Ealing Traifinders outfit, who showed their professionalism eventually in the ten minutes of added time at the end of the game.

Up until that point, DMPRFC were always in the game, although some rugged defence was required to keep out the Ealing attack in the latter part of the eighty minutes of normal play.

Ealing possess some solid citizens in their forwards, but although the DMPRFC pack on average were some 15 – 20kg lighter per man, their tackling was bone-shuddering at times, constantly repelling the bigger men.

On an excellent day for rugby, with the synthetic pitch up to a fantastic standard, all augured well for a decent crowd in attendance, which included some stalwart away supporters who had travelled the long distance.

Things started badly for DMPRFC, when after only 90 seconds of play, aggrieved lock Ben GLEDHILL reacted badly to being punched in the throat by the home loose head prop and retaliated in kind.

Somehow the attending officials only witnessed the retaliation by the visiting player and he was promptly yellow carded, whilst the original offender escaped, which is so often the case.

Just to compound matters, DMPRFC lost hooker Charlie MADDISON who was removed from play as a pre-caution shortly after that, as he succumbed to a re-occurrence of an ear infection that had made him a doubt all week. He was replaced by young Tom LARDER, for his first 1ST XV action of the season so far.

However five minutes later, as Ealing pondered benefitting from the extra man, DMPRFC winger Ben WRATH scored a brilliant individual try, stunning the home side. He fielded a loose kick inside his own 22-metre line and set off on a speedy, mazy run which took him passed several floundering attempt to stop his progress, scorching in near to the home posts (0 – 5). Fly half Grant CONNON made no mistake with the afters (0 – 7).

Ealing had dominance in the scrum and possessed a decent lineout and on occasions the visitors had to rely on ball won in the contact areas or that which was kicked to them.

Ealing got back into the game by applying some forward pressure on seventeen minutes and twenty seven minutes respectively, with a good try from one of their bullocking twin brother locks (5 – 7), converted by their right wing (7 – 7) and another try by their openside flanker from a catch and drive lineout (12 – 7).

Just before the break, the influential Ealing No. 8 was sin-binned for killing the ball in the red zone, as DMPRFC pressed for a try, but they settled for a penalty struck well by Grant CONNON (12 – 10) as Ealing infringed at the ruck.

With the game finely poised, oranges arrived and the crowd eagerly awaited the second half.

Ealing started strongly in an attempt to assert dominance straight away and after nine minutes of play, an Ealing replacement latched on to the end of a rolling maul to increase their lead (17 – 10). The conversion was successful from the Ealing fly half player/coach (19 – 10)

Both sets of forwards battered away at each other, with DMPRFC often getting the better of the collisions, making Ealing cough up valuable ball and from a midfield penalty for not rolling away in the tackle, DMPRFC scrum half took a quick tap, feeding his winger Tom KILL, who outstripped the grasping defenders to score a decent try near to the posts (19 – 15). Again Grant CONNON converted (19 – 17).

DMPRFC tried to take the lead, but a penalty attempt from CONNON had the legs, but was wide of the mark.

As the game entered the final quarter, Ealing threw everything at the visitors, who endured of determined pressure on their own line, but managed to repel the relentless attacks. On occasions they forced turnovers, but the relieving kick was not far enough and the pressure was back on.

As DMPRFC thought they had done enough to secure a bonus point, a cruel error by the officials saw the ball come off an attacking Ealing player into touch five metres out, but the throw in wrongly awarded to the home side. From the resulting lineout, Ealing mustered for a score in the corner (24 – 17).

DMPRFC still were deservedly in a losing bonus point position, but Ealing snatched that away in the eighth minute of the ten added minutes of time, which the referee somehow found at the end of normal time, when an exhausted DMPRFC were found short of numbers wide out (29 – 17).

A cruel end to a very decent DMPRFC performance against the professional outfit, who remain unbeaten at home and destined for the Championship.

EALING MATCH REPORT ATTACHED BELOW
(‘Scrappy’ team they say. We say nothing)

Ealing Trailfinders maintained their 100 percent home record when they ran in five tries to take the full five points on offer against a side that had pushed them hard earlier in the season.

Just as they were at the Northern Echo Arena, Darlington Mowden Park were a scrappy team who put pressure on through the forwards and liked to give their backs the chance to run the ball when the opportunities arose.

It meant that the five-try bonus point was still in the balance with 10 minutes remaining before Luke Daniels late score ensured the full compliment.

Soon after kickoff Darlington Mowden Park were reduced to 14 men when second row Ben Gledhill was yellow-carded for retaliation and Andy Reay, Ronnie McLean and Will Harries all used the numerical advantage to test the DMP defence.

Despite being a man down DMP sought to keep the ball in hand and allow their young and pacey backline the chance to attack, while halfbacks Sam Stuart and Grant Connon were happy to play on the gain line.

Gledhill was still in the bin when Ben Rath raced the length of the pitch for a try that Connon converted, but Ealing Trailfinders used their forwards to establish territorial dominance and after backs and forwards linked up, Reay popped the ball to Llewelyn Jones who ran home.

The second try arrived soon after through the well-rehearsed catch and drive route when Anders Nilsson caught the lineout and then dropped on the ball when the pack crossed the line.

Connon knocked over a penalty to close out the first half and then almost started the second in the same manner, but pushed his effort wide.

From then on Ealing Trailfinders established their grip on the match and while Alex Bradley marked his return to full fitness with a try, the team were unable to capitalise on good field positions.

In the end it was DMP who scored next when wing Tom Kill raced free down the left wing and while Ealing Trailfinders maintained their pressure Darlington Mowden Park’s defence stood firm.

They finally made the breakthrough with less than 10 minutes remaining when Daniels picked a strong line off Will Harries’ run. Daniels then turned provider when he released Phil Chesters to add a gloss to the scoreline and deny the visitors a losing bonus point.

Scorers

Ealing Trailfinders
Tries (Llewelyn Jones 21, Nilsson 26, Bradley 47, Daniels 74, Chesters 77), Conversions (Daniels 21, 47)

Darlington Mowden Park
Tries (Rath 10, Kill 60), Conversions (Connon 10, 60), Penalties (Connon 35)

Ealing Trailfinders
Will Harries, Luke Daniels, Ronnie McLean, Andy Reay, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Alex Walker; Jamie Kilbane, Andrei Radoi, Nathan Buck, Carwyn Jones, Llewelyn Jones, Danny Kenny, Anders Nilsson, Tom Brown (captain)

Reserves
Kevin Davis, Alex Penny, Paul Spivey, Alex Bradley Nilsson, Chris Kinloch

Darlington Mowden Park
Henry Robinson, Tom Kill, Cameron Mitchell (captain), Garry Law, Ben Rath, Grant Connon, Sam Stuart; Ralph Appleby, Charlie Maddison, Darren Fearn, Ben Gledhill, George Hedgley, Callum Mackenzie, Jack Allcock, Joe Maud

Reserves
Charlie Purkiss-McKendo, Andrew Cox, Tom Larder, Tom Hodgson, Adam Nixon

STORM Watch Man of the Match – Llewelyn Jones
Referee – Gareth Holsgrove
Attendance - 491

Further reading