Ealing Trailfinders withstood a strong first-half display by Lydney to secure a fifth bonus point win of the season and retain top spot in National Three South.

The visitors held the lead three times before Ealing took control of the game at half-time to run out 53-16 winners on Saturday.

Lydney fly-half Mark Davies gave the visitors an ideal start with an early penalty after full back James Williams made a clean break from a move off the line out.

Ealing hit straight back through an Ali James try following a quickly taken penalty.

Davies then slotted his second penalty to retake the lead for Lydney.

The lead was short lived as Ealing reclaimed possession from the kickoff and Ben Ward dummied the defence to touchdown after flanker Jay King had set up position on the Lydney five metre line.Ward added the extras to put the home side ahead 12-6.

Davies kicked his third penalty to close the gap when Ealing infringed receiving the kick-off.

Lydney retook the lead despite losing hooker Ben Lewis to the sin bin, when substitute Chris Jones dived on a kick ahead after Williams had intercepted what looked like a certain Ealing try.Davies added the simple conversion.

Again Ealing responded quickly, scoring 10 points to close the half 22-16 ahead. First James ran in his second try after second row James Winterbottom stole the ball from a Lydney line out before Ward kicked a penalty to add to the conversion of James's try.

The second half,however,was all Ealing as the home side ran in 31 unanswered points for the second week in a row.

This weekend Ealing travel to Bournemouth in the first round of the EDF Trophy. The Dorset club is currently sixth in South West One.