News

REPORT | Blues fall to defeat at Ealing

Posted: 10th December 2022

Try of the game went the way of Bedford Blues but it wasn't enough to stop the juggernaut that is Ealing Trailfinders this season who secured a 12th successive bonus point victory to begin 2022/23 with a 42-17 victory at Trailfinders Sports Club.

There were plenty of positives to take from the performance against the unbeaten, league leaders who have been making light work of some teams this season. Normally Ealing keep you in the fight until the hour and then score points for fun, but that wasn't the case against Bedford who battled with intent and never gave up when searching to end things on a high.

You could tell Ealing were out for revenge after Blues' shock result on this ground back in February and there was something about the hosts that showed they weren't going to have another off day and were consistent across the board to continually build platforms from which to attack.

Blues made them work for the victory with a spirited display and, particularly with Jersey to come next weekend who have the league's best forwards pack, they will take confidence from how they more than matched their opponents at the set piece, winning four penalties at the scrum and two free-kicks.

Player of the Match, Jake Garside - who scored a cracking try - said after the game: "Ealing are a highly skilled team so we knew it was going to be difficult to put our game onto them, their defence is good but we managed to break through at times so there's lots of good to come from that performance."

Ealing were made to work hard for their opportunities but when they got into the 22m zone they were pretty clinical and led 21-3 at the break, Blues only having a Louis Grimoldby penalty to show for their efforts in the first 40 minutes.

Shaun Malton put in a very professional display at hooker and he was the beneficiary of Ealing's first try having led the driving maul to perfection to dot down. Carlo Tizzano and Pat Howard also added tries before the break.

Blues needed something early in the second half to have any chance and they delivered an absolute gem of a try to reduce the arrears. After a strong lineout, Blues spread the play through the hands before Dean Adamson skipped three challenges and drew the last defender, offloading for Matt Worley to score his first try since returning from international duty.

If anything, that perked Ealing up further who were quickly back to that 18 point advantage as Tizzano got a second, expertly converted by the calm Craig Willis who controlled the game and stood out at fly half.

Malton then grabbed his second, which was enough to earn him the home sponsors' man of the match award, but then Blues were off again with another lovely try.

Garside just can't stop scoring at the moment and he drew level with Alex Day in the try scoring stakes by grabbing his sixth of the campaign when spotting the gap, turning former Blue Jordan Burns inside out, and racing to the line.

Replacement Cam Terry made the scoreboard a bit more flattering for Ealing with one of the last passages of play but there was lots to be proud of from a Blues perspective as they refused to lie down and constantly gave their everything to cause some problems and build some confidence heading to the Island next weekend.

Teams

BEDFORD BLUES

15. Matt Worley, 14. Sean French, 13. Ethan Grayson (60'), 12. Michael Le Bourgeois, 11. Dean Adamson, 10. Louis Grimoldby (60'), 9. Alex Day (C) (60'); 1. Joey Conway (50'), 2. Jack Hughes (66'), 3. Oisin Heffernan (54'), 4. Brandon Nansen (50'), 5. Jordan Onojaife, 6. Karl Wilkins, 7. Luke Frost, 8. Tui Uru (54')

Replacements

16. Callum Burns (66'), 17. Monty Royston (50'), 18. Osman Dimen (54'), 19. Robin Williams (50'), 20. Charles Rylands (54'), 21. Jake Garside (60'), 22. Will Maisey (60'), 23. Pat Tapley (60')

Ealing Trailfinders

15. Jonah Holmes, 14. Luke Daniels, 13. Max Bodilly, 12. Pat Howard (64'), 11. Reuben Bird-Tulloch, 10. Craig Willis (60'), 9. Jack Grant (66'); 1. Kyle Whyte (52'), 2. Shaun Malton (50'), 3. Lewis Thiede (52'), 4. David O'Connor, 5. Danny Cutmore (74'), 6. Rob Farrar, 7. Carlo Tizzano, 8. Rayn Smid (C) (54')

Replacements:

16. Cam Terry (50'), 17. Will Davis (52'), 18. Ross Kane (52'), 19. Simon Linsell (74'), 20. Simon Uzokwe (54'), 21. Jordan Burns (64'), 22. Steven Shingler (60'), 23. Jack Digby (66')