Ealing Trailfinders men were able to secure a tense 36-20 victory against Hartpury University RFC at Trailfinders Sports Club on Saturday (3 February 2024).
Tries from Tom Collins (2), Matt Cornish (2), Craig Hampson and a penalty from Billy Twelvetrees secured an important bonus point victory for Trailfinders, which sees them remain top of the Championship table.
The home side made an electric start to the game, scoring within two minutes as a two on one down the left flank allowed Collins in to score in the corner. Craig Willis missed the conversion.
Hartpury’s fly-half Harry Bazalgette reduced the deficit to two with a penalty in front of the posts.
Trailfinders answered emphatically as Cornish drove off the back of the maul inside the Hartpury 5-metre line and crashed over the whitewash. Willis nailed the extras.
Collins then scored his second of the day after an impressive breakthrough by Hampson, who fed in Collins to score with ease under the posts. Twelvetrees, on for Willis, converted.
Cornish emulated the form of Collins to also score his second, bursting through the line off a lineout on the 5-metre line and bundling his way over just before the half. Twelvetrees’ conversion was good to make it 26-8 at half time.
Trailfinders started the second half in the same fashion as the first, as man of the match Richard Hardwick made a brilliant 20-metre breakaway from the halfway line to set up Hampson for an easy finish under the sticks. Twelvetrees conversion was good.
Hartpury found themselves back in the game after sustained pressure inside the Trailfinders 5-metre line led to Will Montgomery collapsing the maul, resulting in him being sent to the sin bin and a penalty try.
The home side found themselves down to 13 or 14 for a lot of the second half, as two subsequent high tackles led to Pat Howard and Will Goodrick-Clarke being sent to the sin-bin also.
Hartpury were rarely able to take advantage of the varying men advantage but did manage to capitalise off a rolling maul as Harry Short crashed over to reduce the deficit to 13 points. Bazalgette missed the extras.
After holding up several waves of Hartpury attack, some effective defence turned into brilliant offense which then set up Twelvetrees to kill the game, nailing a penalty through the posts to leave the final score 36-20.
