Greene King IPA Championship

Ealing Trailfinders 21-23 Bedford Blues

This is getting cruel.

Rock-bottom Trailfinders were denied a second win of the season in the dying seconds when a penalty by Bedford Blues’ Steffan Jones saw west London heads drop in dismay.

It looked as if Ealing would haul themselves off the foot of the table with a welcome victory, but right at the death Bedford broke and from the resulting line-out Mike Howard pinched the ball, helped win a penalty, and Jones slottedthe win.

Crunch! Alun Walker on the charge

It all looked so promising.

Ben Ward’s side started strongly and Tristan Roberts’ penalty opened the scoring after seven minutes following a powerful scrum. Three minutes later though Jake Sharp levelled the scores with a penalty of his own after a break by George Perkins.

Trailfinders hit back when Roberts picked out Toby Howley-Berridge with a pin-point kick to score the first try.

Ealing built on the lead when Alun Walker crashed over following excellent work from a driven line-out catch.

Alex Bradley unfortunately had a spell in the sin-bin, and could only watch while Bedford scrum-half Jordan Burns set up Piers O’Connor, who although stopped just short of the line, popped the ball to wing Dean Adamson who scored in the corner.

Try: Toby Howley-Berridge dives in

Bedford No 8 Hayden Thompson-Stringer then burst off the back of a scrum and off-loaded to O’Connor who had a clear run to the line.

Jake Sharp converted both scores, and although Alex Davies missed a penalty, he then landed his next effort to ensure the hosts were 18-17 ahead at the break.

Rugged no-quarter stalemate was the order of the next 31 minutes, but then Jones landed a second penalty.

Davies responded in kind with six minutes to go - but the slender single point advantage was dashed at the last when along came Jones with a third and final coffin nail.

You need hands: Will Harries (C) takes the ball

Scorers

Ealing Trailfinders

Tries (Howley-Berridge 16, Walker 17), Conversions (Davies 17), Penalties (Roberts 7, Davies 35, 74)

Bedford Blues

Tries (Adamson 23, O’Conor 32), Conversions (Sharp 23, 32), Penalties (Sharp 10, Jones 71, 80)