Match Report: Ealing Trailfinders 59 : Bedford Blues 12 – EALING.NEWS – The Voice of Ealing 7 Cities

Ealing Trailfinders ended their Championship campaign in style with a 59-12 victory over fourth-placed Bedford Blues.

A hat-trick of tries from Reuben Bird-Tulloch, two from Angus Kernohan and scores from Simon Uzokwe, Cam Terry, Tom Collins and Frankie Sleightholme finished the 2023-24 season in perfect fashion.

Uzokwe opened the scoring for the home side on nine minutes, crashing over the line after sustained pressure inside the Bedford 22. Dan Lancaster converted.

Hat-trick hero and man of the match Bird-Tulloch then extended their lead 10 minutes later after some humble hands in midfield allowed him to score untouched. Lancaster added the extra.

Bedford punted back through Joe Howard off the grounder on his third visit to the red zone after punting twice earlier. Maisey missed the conversion.

The departing Lancaster signed off with a classy performance, epitomized by the use of his boot as he sent a delightful cross-field shot to Kernohan who, despite being tackled in the air, weaved through two defenders to score in the right hand. corner.

Right from the kick-off, Trailfinders were back in the game as Bird-Tulloch managed to score their second try of the day through some brilliant hands in midfield. Lancaster’s conversion was good.

Making matters worse for the visitors, Luke Frost was sent to the sinbin for arguing with the referee just before the break.

Starting the second half just after they finished the first, further infringements by the Blues reduced them to 13 men in the next five minutes as Dean Adamson was booked for a deliberate knock.

Trailfinders leveled the playing field though as Frankie Sleightholme was also sent off at Sinbin for an illegal tackle.

The hosts, jubilant in their successful campaign, decided to pull a few tricks out of the bag as Lancaster fooled the whole of Vallis Way with a cross from a penalty to Kernohan who scored completely unchallenged.

Bedford scored the second and final try of the day through Sean French, whose cutting line cut straight through the Trailfinders defense to score under the posts. Maisey converted.

The Trailfinders rolling maul has been unstoppable all season and proved so again on 60 minutes when Cam Terry crashed over the whitewash. Lancaster added the extra.

Bedford then found themselves down to 14 men again as Sean French was sent off this time for a tackle.

The home side took full advantage of this through Tom Collins after supporters’ player of the season Matt Cornish won the ball back in the Bedford 22 and some quick hands put Collins through for a clinical finish. Lancaster added the conversion.

Bird-Tulloch completed his hat-trick on 71 minutes after the build-up broke down, parting the seas for him to sail through untouched again. Lancaster’s excellent day from the boot continued.

The game and a sensational season was fittingly ended by a brilliant debut try from Sleightholme who found himself in a 2v1 with Tom Collins on the left to score the Trailfinders’ ninth try of the day. Lancaster’s effort from the boot was again good, leaving the final score 59-12.