Wharfedale 29 Ealing 53

 On a day made more for the beach, Ealing certainly made hay while the sun shone in the Yorkshire Dales, treating the large approving crowd to an eight-try masterclass in the art of clinical finishing.

Wharfedale, who have found getting over the try-line a problem all season, eventually scored four of their own but these were almost incidental to the contest.

Any faint chance that the Trailfinders would lose their bearing on their first real trek up north was dispelled within the opening 15 minutes, by which time they had opened up a 17-10 lead.

There were tries by Phil Chesters, collecting a precision service kick from full back Pete Hodgkinson, and fellow winger Owen Bruynseels, with Neil Hallett adding a penalty to his pair of conversions.

Despite an answering try by Simon Horsfall for the Greens, converted by Barrett – who added a penalty – Ealing continued to dominate the scoring if not the actual play.

Wharfedale enjoyed long periods of concerted close pressure near the visitors’ line, only for Ealing to escape and score in an instant. It was very much a case of a side who could score lethally against one who could not finish off promising attack for love nor money.

The visitors racked up further tries by centre Rory Damant and a second for Bruynseels to secure a bonus-point 31-10 lead at the break.

Chesters collected yet another precision kick from Hallett to extend the advantage and hooker Dinos Alexopoulos made it six on the hour.

Wharfedale were at last rewarded for their combative and constructive general play with tries from substitutes Mark Tampin and Will Bell as well as a late penalty try which secured a consolation bonus point.

But a Bruynseels hat-trick and a final close drive from Damant hoisted the half century to crown a fine attacking display for the visitors, who gave ample proof of why they now head the table as the only unbeaten side in the division.