Trailfinders make sure they get it right this time

TRAILFINDERS ran in eight tries with the league leaders on a mission to reverse last season’s unexpected loss on the Wirral.

After what had seemed like months of unremitting rain, Paton Field was bathed in glorious sunshine and the fast dry playing surface favoured the visitors.

“During the week we had talked a lot about the threat that Caldy posed, and we knew this was a tough place to come,” said Ealing’s replacement scrum-half Lloyd Williams.

“Stand-off Rhys Hayes was a constant threat and cut through us a number of times, particularly in the first half. The game was closer than the final score suggests.”

Caldy started brightly and opened the scoring through a Ben Jones penalty but moments later missed tackles cost them as a surging midfield break by tighthead prop Akinbiyi Alo put Bobby De Wee in under the posts. The visitors quickly scored again through man of the match Reuben Bird-Tulloch who got the first of his two scores after a length of the field move.

Although the visitors’ pace and power were evident the Ravers had their moments. A scintillating break by Hayes should have resulted in a score but for a fumbled pass, and Caldy winger Will Robinson went close, but Caldy’s execution was just not as clinical as Ealing’s.

Despite the home side having the better of both territory and possession the Ravers only had a further Jones penalty to show for their efforts whilst Ealing closed

out the half with two more converted tries by tighthead Alo and Bird-Tulloch.

The second half followed a familiar pattern with the precise play from Ealing resulting in scores by Richard Hardwick and Daniel O’Brien. Pressure from a resurgent Caldy brought a succession of penalties and yellow cards against the visitors from which the home side took full advantage with converted tries by front row replacements Joe Sproston and Ollie Hearn.

Despite being down to 13 players with Jordy Reid and Hardwick in the bin, Ealing scored further tries through tries from Pat Howard and Michael Willemse interspersed with a penalty by Craig Willis.

“They executed better than us,” said Caldy’s attack coach Richard Vasey, “but it was a decent performance.”