Trailfinders crush Reds to continue their perfect run

EALING continued their perfect start to the season with a ten-try demolition job of Jersey.

Scores from debutant Bill Johnston, Simon Uzokwe, Shaun Malton and the first of captain Rayn Smid’s hat-trick saw them secure the bonus point before half-time.

Although the Reds were in the contest at 24-12 with over 30 minutes to play, Ben Ward’s side proceeded to go through the gears.

Apakuki Ma’afu saw red for a reckless, high hit on Dean Hammond with a quarter of the game to go to compound Jersey’s woes, with the hosts taking full advantage to add another six tries after the interval.

After Johnston – signed in the week from Ulster – snuck over just five minutes in, followed closely by Uzokwe from a slick rolling maul, another big Ealing win seemed on the cards.

Malton, who was on the front foot all game with ball in hand, dotted down for his side’s third and though Brendan Owen’s opportunistic score – pouncing on an intelligent kick in behind from Scott van Breda – gave Reds some hope, Smid responded almost immediately.

The Islanders came out after the break with a game-plan to slow proceedings, and it proved to be fruitful. After a concerted period in the Ealing third, new-boy Matti Williams finished superbly from ten metres, but from there, it was one-way traffic as Ealing’s power proved too much.

The Johnston brothers combined to set Smid away for an easy canter underneath the sticks, before he turned provider a minute later for scrum-half, Craig

Hampson. Owen collected Jersey’s third, latching on to a well-executed cross-field kick from Brendan Cope.

Even after losing Hammond and Bobby De Wee to what looked like serious injuries – Hammond taken to hospital – the tries kept coming.

Guy Thompson sneaked in underneath a pile of bodies and Jordan Burns raced home down the touchline with Bill Johnston’s extras moving the score to 50-17.

Max Bodilly touched down unopposed in the corner – a move originating off a lost Jersey lineout midway inside the Ealing half – and then a final word for man-of-the-match Smid.

He profited from Cope’s ambitious attempt to hack in behind the Ealing defence, only for it to end in him under his own posts to see Johnston land a seventh conversion attempt.