Reds take in clash of
JERSEY Reds took a massive leap towards the RFU Championship title, overcoming Ealing Trailfinders in a tense encounter to move into pole position in the table with just a game to go.
In taking four hardearned points from a game watched by more than 3,000 spectators the Reds moved two points clear of their visitors and knowing a home win over Ampthill next weekend would seal the title.
Having tried to maintain a ‘normal week’ approach in the build-up to the summit meeting, director of rugby Harvey Biljon was keen to celebrate the win, but also to remind players and supporters that the job was not finished.
He said: “The effort made by the whole group is hard to quantify – Ealing gave us a tough test, but our composure and ability to stick to task just made the difference.
“We have one more game to play and it’s not done yet – opportunities like this don’t come along very often and we’ve got to get our heads down on Monday and make it count.”
Trailfinders who struck first when Steven Shingler slotted a penalty in front of the posts after sustained pressure.
The home side’s response came on the back of a massive scrum effort that earned a penalty, with the resulting lineout leading to a series of attacks that eventually saw Alex McHenry go through a gap to score.
Rob Farrar’s closerange
try helped the visitors regain the lead but Sam Grahamslaw piled over for the Reds’ second try and the home side were able to retain their two-point lead until the break.
Ealing’s defence was a feature of a third quarter in which the heavens opened and Reds domportunities inated possession and territory but could not score, and the Londoners took advantage of a rare foray downfield to win another penalty, slotted by Shingler to take his side a point clear.