By Mike Attewell

WESTCOMBE Park lost at home against runaway league leaders Ealing Trailfinders at Goddington Lane on Saturday, despite playing with a good deal of panache and a huge amount of grit.

Combe missed a penalty early on but after 20 minutes Ealing led by 14 points following two smooth moves and tries from Joe Price and Ron McLean-Dents and two immaculate conversions from wide by Neil Hallett.

Ealing were to add two more tries through flanker Ben Griffiths and scrum-half Morgan Thompson before half-time, as well as a conversion, to make it 26-0 at the midway point.

Combe had played reasonably well but it looked like they would be on the end of a severe drubbing in the second half.

However, the belief they have in themselves showed through as the hosts started well, scoring a try when centre Russell Tumath combined down the left with team-mates, notably Mike Adeniya.

Ealing responded well to snuff out any revival, initially with a penalty and then two tries by ex-Combe winger Phil Chesters and a second from McLean-Dent.

By Ealing’s own admission, the scoreboard looked a little lopsided.

With the last move of the match this was rectified slightly when No 8 Gavin Wallis crossed to make it 39-10 but it was little consolation against a clinical and very slick outfit.