Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club showed fighting spirit as they snatched a 27-27 draw at local rivals Richmond.
ETRFC kept up their unbeaten start to the season, despite finding themselves 27-10 behind with just over ten minutes remaining.
It was the hosts who began the game in rampant fashion, bombarding the barrier of defensive green shirts.
It was a relentless start from Richmond but the hosts couldn’t find a way through the ETRFC defence.
Richmond were made to pay for their inability to put points on the board as ETRFC hit the hosts on the break, with Owen Bruynseels sprinting the length of the field before passing to Ronald-Mclean-Dents to score.
Tom Wheatcroft made no mistake with the extras to put ETRFC 0-7 up.
With both teams canceling each other out throughout the half, a succession of penalties just before the break led to Anders Nilsson and Tim Brockett being sin-binned.
Richmond made the most of the numerical advantage as two tries had the hosts leading 12-7 at the break.
The second half started in the same vein of fashion as the first, as a Richmond penalty extended the host’s lead to 15-7.
Richmond were all over their guests and it didn’t take long before ETRFC found themselves further behind as the hosts ran home another two tries, either side of a Wheatcroft penalty, leaving the score at 27-10.
With just over ten minutes left, there was a sudden swing in momentum, as ETRFC decided to come to life.
It was Lee Starling who kicked started the comeback, crashing home after finding himself in acres of space. Tom Wheatcroft made sure of the extras to reduce the lead to 27-17.
Richmond did not sit back and if it wasn’t for a superb try-saving tackle and turnover from Mclean-Dents, Richmond would have surely been out of sight.
Instead, Owen Bruynseels provided the magic needed to spark the ETRFC into life, scoring his second try of the day after great individual work. Wheatcroft found the conversion difficult, leaving the score at 27-22 with just over five minutes left.
It was then a case of deja-vu as Bruynseels plucked another cross-field pass out of the air to touchdown in the corner for his third of the day, resulting in a resounding chorus of cheers from the large away support. Wheatcroft again struggled with the extras and the score was amazingly locked at 27-27.
There was still time for more drama as ETRFC pinned down an ever-tiring Richmond side. With seconds remaining, the ETRFC contingent had their hands in their heads as a Ben Ward drop-goal attempt sailed harmlessly wide, leaving the final score at 27-27.
Mike Cudmore, Director of Rugby at ETRFC said: “"There were aspects of our game we need to address. Richmond punished us when we had players in the bin but I was proud of the teams’ response and the way we come back into the game and could have won it. Our support was fantastic and it helped us raise our game."
ETRFC now welcome Fylde to Vallis Way next weekend and will be hoping to cement their position at the top of the league.
