Hakalo double rewards Notts’ pressure

NOTTINGHAM produced ten minutes of concerted pressure straight after halftime to turn this fitful encounter into a fourth successive win.

Two tries from the bustling centre Vili Hakalo rewarded Nottingham’s bright start after a first half which left Ealing 6-3 ahead.

Hakalo hobbled off in a fierce finale where Ealing regained their initial supremacy.

It earned Ealing a losing bonus point thanks to a try awarded to substitute prop James Gibbons amid a pile of bodies.

Ian Costello, Nottingham’s director of rugby, hoped Hakalo would be fine and was more concerned about a leg injury for another defensive hero, Darryl Veenendaal.

Veenendaal, who had replaced the forceful Murray McConnell, was hurt diving to touchdown a kick ahead.

Costello said the act typified the Nottingham effort in dominating a contest which never produced the quality the first quarter had promised.

Alex Codling, Ealing’s head coach, said: “This defeat will be test. Hopefully it’s just a bump in the road.”

Ealing failed to build on an opening burst which brought two penalty goals from fly-half Aaron Penberthy who also converted the try by Gibbons.

Nottingham fly-half Mitch Lam, on loan from Connacht, landed three kicks out of five on his debut.