Ealing beat Jersey for first ever Championship win

Ealing Trailfinders came from behind to beat fellow strugglers Jersey 28-18 and claim their first ever Championship win.

The islanders were 12-0 in front after tries from Alex Rae and Nick Campbell but Tom Bedford's score kept the visitors in touch.

Jersey held a 18-7 second-half lead but Ealing looked livelier and two Phil Chesters tries put them ahead.

Full-back Andrew Henderson sealed a bonus-point with a last-gasp try.

It was Ealing's first win and first points of the season at the 12th time of asking, after nine consecutive league defeats and two British & Irish Cup losses.

The victory closes the gap in the table between the sides to six points.

The afternoon had started so well for the hosts, with skipper Rae crashing over after a line-out after seven minutes.

Campbell's converted try between the posts put the island side in control before centre Bedford found space on the overlap out wide to get his side on the scoreboard.

Jersey still led 15-7 at half time though and Niall O'Connor's penalty increased that further before the momentum of the game, and perhaps the whole season, swung dramatically.

Prolific winger Chesters sped through for his first try in the corner and not long after gave his team the lead for the first time when he ran from deep in his own half to score a superb solo try with less than 10 minutes to go.

The Channel Islanders still had hope of a late winner or at least a losing bonus point.

But they were to be denied by their former player Henderson, who broke clear with the final move of the game to clinch a bonus-point for Ealing and get their season off and running, pulling Jersey into a real battle against relegation.

SATURDAY'S LINE-UPS

Jersey: Drew Locke, James Copsey, Mark McCrea, Mark Foster, Joel Dudley, Niall O'Connor, Jimmy Williams, Sean McCarthy, Dave Felton, Dave Young, Nick Campbell, Alex Rae (capt), Latu Makaafi, Joe Buckle and Ben Maidment.

Replacements: Elvis Taione, Nick Selway, Tom Fidler, Dave Markham, Tom Brown, Nicky Griffiths and Jack Burroughs.

Ealing Trailfinders: Andrew Henderson, Christopher Kinloch, Ronald Mclean-Dents, Thomas Bedford, Philip Chesters, Ben Ward, Tom Parker, Ryan Storer, Samuel Wilkes, Conor Carey, Adam Preocanin (capt), Stephen Pape, Edward Siggery, Thomas Anderson and Sean O'Connell.

Replacements: Richard Townsend, Steven Neville, Timothy Brockett, Alex Bradley, Mathew Evans, Morgan Thompson and Thomas Wheatcroft.

Att: 1,902