Author Archives: Paul Clarke

Tim Brockett may have experienced a mixed return to his home town and former club when Ealing Trailfinders took on Bristol Rugby on Sunday, but at least he and the team ended on high.

The Greene King IPA Championship leaders were quick to take the initiative and ran in four tries in the first half and then added eight in the second.

However in the second half fullback Andrew Henderson managed to find his way through for a brace of tries and after hooker Richard Townsend did his bit for the front row union by scoring with a pick and drive, Tom Parker’s late score ensured that the men from Vallis Way returned down the M4 with a bonus point for their efforts.

“Before the game we said let’s just go out there and play some rugby,” Brockett said. “It was a nice day and there was a big crowd there, so we said ‘let’s go for the four tries’ and if we’re still in it we can go for more.

“It made it made for a funny feeling at the end because we’d got the bonus point but then you look at the scoreboard and you realise you’re 60 points down and it is a bit of a strange feeling.”

Arguably the last of the 16 tries was the most significant as it allowed Ealing to close the gap at the bottom of the Championship to eight points with three fixtures remaining.

Bristol boy

Jersey lost 35-8 at home to Moseley the previous day and they now face London Welsh away, London Scottish at home and Bedford away in their final three matches.

Ealing meanwhile face Nottingham at home, Plymouth away and finally Rotherham at Vallis Way to bring the season to a close.

“It was mentioned beforehand, but it was all about us getting something from the match,” Brockett added.

“We’re disappointed to lose by that margin, but the aim was to go there and get some points and every game from now on we need to take something if we are to stand a chance of surviving.”

The 24-year-old Brockett received one of the biggest cheers of the day when he came on at half-time, mainly from ex-teammates from his former club Dings Crusaders, who are based just outside Bristol and who were celebrating a win over Clifton in the city derby from the day before.

Growing up in Bristol he was a regular on the Memorial Stadium terraces and then featured for the club’s academy, so a return to the ground was a special occasion for a player who has been with Ealing since 2011.

“I had a lot of family and friends there,” he said. “I spent a year and a half there in the academy when I was 21 and played a bit of British and Irish Cup, so it was good to go back and see everyone.

They’ve got a good crowd down there and they always get a good turnout, so it is always good to play in front of a big crowd. It was special running out there.”

Once again it is that time of the season when Ealing Trailfinders fans are being asked to look back over the previous campaign and select their player of the season.

The 2013-14 season was an historical one as the Club made its debut in the Greene King IPA Championship, the first time ever that the team has played at such a rarefied level.

There has been no shortage of ups and downs this season and there will be plenty of moments for fans to think back on since the season kicked off against London Scottish on 14 September at Allianz Park.

Fans need to email sue@ealingrugby.co.uk with their choice by Friday 18 April and the winner will be announced at the final match of the season on 26 April.

Ealing Trailfinders needed a late, late Tom Parker try to earn a vital bonus point from their visit to Greene King IPA Championship leaders Bristol Rugby.

Andy Robinson’s side showed why they are now on a 10-match unbeaten run as they scored four tries before halftime and added a further eight in the second half.

For Ealing Andrew Henderson scored twice soon after halftime and Richard Townsend scored his first of the season before Parker’s heroics on the stroke of fulltime.

Having failed to win a try-scoring bonus point on their visit to Vallis Way in December Bristol didn’t wait around to open the scoring as Jack Wallace crossed two minutes in.

After good work from hooker Rhys Lawrence the fullback picked a spot and raced through to leave fly-half Adrian Jarvis with a straightforward conversion.

Following more good work from Lawrence the hosts again gained the upper hand, but after spurning the chance to kick a penalty in front of the posts, they opted to drive through their forwards from a lineout. Ealing’s forwards stood strong though and scrum-half Morgan Thompson was able to clear.

Bristol twice more tried to maul over from a penalty lineout, but once again Ealing’s pack thwarted their illustrious opponents’ efforts.

However, when they eventually got the ball out to their backs it went through four pairs of hands before scrum-half Luke Baldwin was able to run in unopposed. Bryan Rennie then added a third with a close range.

Ronnie McLean and Henderson then took play into the Bristol half soon after, but good Bristol defence kept them out. They then went on the attack and Wallace went over for his second try to wrap up the try-scoring bonus point before halftime.

Ealing started the second half with renewed vigour and flanker Alex Bradley immediately took play into Bristol’s 22. After more sustained pressure McLean broke the line and popped the ball to Henderson who forced his way over for a try that Ben Ward converted.

Wing Charlie Amesbury crossed for a try in the corner which set up a period of four tries in quick succession. First Henderson was quickest to Ward’s chip kick, then Bristol centre Jack Tovey scored Bristol’s sixth try of the match before flanker Iain Grieve raced the length of the pitch to stretch the hosts’ lead further.

A cross-kick from Ward to Chesters nearly put the wing in the clear, but with good field position and Bristol twice conceding penalties reserve hooker Townsend forced his way over.

As the match drew to a close Amesbury raced away for his hattrick and there were scores for hooker Ollie Hayes, George Watkins and Mitch Eadie.

However at the death Parker wriggled his way over with the last play of the match to earn a vital bonus point in the team’s fight against relegation before Ward landed the conversion to finish with four from four.

Ealing Trailfinders
Andrew Henderson, Chris Kinloch, Ronnie McLean, Tom Bedford, Phil Chesters, Ben Ward, Morgan Thompson; Ryan Storer, Andrei Radoi, Conor Carey, Steve Pape, Gavin Curry, Adam Preocanin, Alex Bradley, Mat Evans (captain)
Reserves:
Richard Townsend, Steve Neville, Tim Brockett, Sam Hocking, TJ Anderson, Tom Parker, Tom Wheatcroft
Bristol Rugby
Jack Wallace; Ryan Edwards, Jack Tovey, Bryan Rennie, Charlie Amesbury; Adrian Jarvis, Luke Baldwin; Mark Lilley, Rhys Lawrence, Gaston Cortes, Glen Townson, Mark Sorensen, Iain Grieve, Ross Rennie, Ben Skirving (captain)
Reserves: Olly Hayes, Jason Hobson, Redford Pennycock, Mitch Eadie, Callum Braley, Nicky Robinson, George Watkins

Referee – David Proctor
Attendance – 4,852

Ealing Trailfinders director of rugby Mike Cudmore had made only one change to the team for the trip down the M4 to play Bristol Rugby on Sunday.

Centre Ronnie McLean comes back into the side having missed the team’s maiden home Greene King IPA Championship victory against Jersey last time out and will link up with Tom Bedford in the centre.

The last time the two teams met just before Christmas, Bedford gave the side a surprise lead against Andy Robinson’s side with an intercept try within five minutes.

For the match at the Memorial Stadium McLean and Bedford will be flanked by wingers Phil Chesters, who scored his eleventh try of the season against Jersey and Chris Kinloch.

Behind them Andrew Henderson will be out to continue his strong season at fullback and Ben Ward and Morgan Thompson are once again the half-back pairing.

In the pack number 8 Mat Evans captains the side and he will pack down alongside another of the try-scorers against Jersey, Alex Bradley and Adam Preocanin.

The tight-five will aim to continue their good work from the Jersey match; Ryan Storer and Conor Carey prop the scrum alongside hooker Andrei Radoi, while Gavin Curry and Steve Pape once again bring their strength and power to the engine room.

Ealing Trailfinders v Bristol Rugby, Sunday 30 March, KO 15.00
15 Andrew Henderson
14 Chris Kinloch
13 Ronnie Mclean
12 Tom Bedford
11 Phil Chesters
10 Ben Ward
9 Morgan Thompson
1 Ryan Storer
2 Andrei Radoi
3 Conor Carey
4 Steve Pape
5 Gavin Curry
6 Adam Preocanin
7 Alex Bradley
8 Mat Evans (captain)
Reserves
16 Richard Townsend
17 Steve Neville
18 Tim Brockett
19 Sam Hocking
20 TJ Anderson
21 Tom Parker
22 Tom Wheatcroft

Having just helped Ealing Trailfinders to their first home Greene King IPA Championship victory of the season against Jersey, prop Ryan Storey is expecting another fierce challenge this Sunday away to Bristol Rugby.

The west-country outfit are currently top of the Championship and have announced a number of big-name signings for next season to boost morale ahead of the run-in to the promotion play-offs.

Add in a highly vocal home ground at the Memorial Stadium that has packed them in this season and Storer is under no illusions of what to expect down the M4.

“It is going to be massive,” he said. “Bristol can be quite big upfront, so if we’re not on our game set-piece wise, it will be a very tough day. We’ve just done a good job on Jersey’s pack, bettering them in the scrum and lineout, so we’re feeling quite good, but we need to be at our best even to compete with them.

“They’ve hit a bit of form and have announced some new players, so they’ll be feeling fairly high and the Memorial Stadium is always a tough place; I’ve played there many a time and it will be a tough day at the office.

“It will be a packed out crowd, rammed in and very vocal, it is quite an intimidating place and if you’re not on your game it can be quite a long day, so we need to be at our best.”

Storer missed the first match between the teams earlier in the season, a match Andy Robinson’s side won 21-7. Nonetheless Ealing pushed their illustrious opponents hard for 80 minutes and even took an early lead thanks to a Tom Bedford intercept try.

The 31-year-old did start the win over Jersey 25-23 a week ago though. After scoring three tries and fighting back from an early 12-point deficit, it was Ealing’s will to win and dogged determination that earned them the victory, for a result that keeps alive their hopes of avoiding the drop to National 1 with four matches remaining.

“We haven’t got too many wins, but to pick up a good win and play for 80 minutes was massive for us, because we haven’t done that consistently and it was a great feeling,” Storer said.

“We’ve still got four games left and we haven’t given up yet; anything could happen. You’ve seen the results in this league. We’ll go out and play our game and hopefully continue as we are and pick up a few more wins.”

Ealing Trailfinders earned their first home Greene King IPA Championship victory of the season to complete the double against their familiar rivals from the Channel Islands.

Both teams were desperate to win to help their fight against relegation. The result means that Ealing are still bottom, but are now nine points off their rivals from the Channel Islands with four matches remaining.

It didn’t take long for the breakthrough to come and when it did it was from Jersey. Grant Pointer broke down the right wing and popped inside to Mark McCrea and the centre had an uninterrupted run to the line.

Fly-half Aaron Penberthy knocked over the conversion and then stretched the lead further with a well-struck penalty from near halfway.

It didn’t take Ealing long to open their account. Ben Ward twice kicked penalties to the corner and from the second Alex Bradley was driven over. The young flanker then drove Jersey back from kick-off with a powerful run into their territory.

Both teams continued to move the ball wide quickly as they probed each other’s defence and it was the visitors who were next to score when Latu Makaafi scored the second on the 20-minute mark when he was first to a kick behind the Ealing defence to score in the corner. Penberthy again landed the conversion.

Ward landed a penalty to put Ealing into double figures and then from a lineout Jersey’s back-row were penalised for entering from the side. Ward kicked for the corner, Adam Preocanin took the catch, but from a secondary drive Steve Pape was held up over the line.

From the resulting scrum captain Mat Evans appeared set to drive over for his first try before Jersey collapsed the scrum, for which the referee awarded a penalty try that Ward converted to close the gap to two points.

The scoring wasn’t done for the first though as Jersey stretched the lead again when Penberthy knocked over a penalty to put the Islanders 20-15 ahead at halftime.

Ealing took the lead early in the second half. Pape went close again, but when the ball came back it wide to Phil Chesters who ran in his 11th try of the season, which Ward converted to give Ealing the lead.

Penberthy and Ward then exchanged penalties and despite the best efforts of both sides’ attacks it was the defences that were on top.

As the match wore on the nerves started to jangle and late in the game Jersey’s pack tried to muscle their way over, but Ealing’s defence stood strong, forced them into an error and then cleared the danger.

Ealing went on the attack themselves from a kick to the corner, but were unable to find a way through fierce Jersey defence but without success. Jersey then turned the tables from a penalty, but were pulled up for crossing.

In the end neither team could break through for a vital try; Ealing to earn a try-scoring bonus point and Jersey to retake the lead, but when massed defence snuffed out Jersey’s last attack the crowd in W13 were finally able to acclaim a league win this season.

Ealing Trailfinders
Andrew Henderson, Chris Kinloch, Harry Sloane, Tom Bedford, Phil Chesters,
Ben Ward, Morgan Thompson; Ryan Storer, Andrei Radoi, Conor Carey, Steve Pape, Gavin Curry, Adam Preocanin, Alex Bradley, Matt Evans (captain)
Reserves: Richard Townsend, Steve Neville, Tim Brockett, George Merrick,
TJ Anderson, Tom Parker, Billy Robinson
Jersey
Jack Burroughs, Grant Pointer, Drew Locke, Mark McCrea, Mark Foster, Aaron Penberthy, Nicky Griffiths; Sean McCarthy, Elvis Taione, Dave Young, Nick Campbell, James Voss, Alex Rae (captain), Ryan Hodson, Latu Makaafi
Reserves
Luke Stratford, Nick Selway, Sam Lockwood, Joe Buckle, Jimmy Williams, Niall O’Connor, David Bishop

STORM Watches Man of the Match – Alex Bradley
Referee – Matthew Carley
Attendance – 843

Ealing Trailfinders are delighted to announce that seven first-team squad players have signed new deals with the club.

Ben Ward will take over as director of coaching from Mike Cudmore, who will step down after 12 years at the club at the end of the season and he has been working tirelessly behind the scenes to secure players for next season.

Wing Phil Chesters and number 8 Sean O’Connell both signed on for a further two years after impressing in their debut seasons in the Greene King IPA Championship.

Chesters has scored 10 league tries so far this season, while O’Connell who joined the club in November quickly made himself a firm fixture in the team before injury curtailed his involvement.

“I am delighted to commit my future to the Ealing Trailfinders for a further two seasons,” Chesters said. “I’m looking forward to new era for the club. Ben has some exciting ideas and is very ambitious which is really positive.”

“I’m delighted to have re-signed with Ealing Trailfinders,” O’Connell added. “We are an ambitious group and it is exciting to be a part of going forward.”

Also putting pen to paper were wing Owen Bruynseels, centre Ronnie McLean, hooker Josh Elliott, centre Tom Wheatcroft and scrum-half Tom Parker, who all signed one-year deals.