OPPORTUNITY knocked for Newport Gwent Dragons players at their training base on Saturday and while results in pre-season don’t matter, few of them produced the goods to force their way into the thinking for Belfast.

Ealing Trailfinders overcame their hosts 41-21 thanks to a more savvy, mature approach that saw them turn what had been a nip-and-tuck encounter into a comprehensive win in the final quarter.

The Dragons headed into the fixture on the back of a 38-28 victory against Cardiff Blues and rang the changes to ensure everybody gets a chance to stake a claim for a spot against Ulster on opening weekend of the Guinness Pro12.

There were a handful of first-teamers – and they did okay – but as a unit Kingsley Jones’ side failed to fire and paid the price for failing to come to grips with challenging conditions.

Their guests from the English Championship adapted to the howling wind and teeming rain far better and were good value for their victory, even if the scoreline was a bit harsh.

The Dragons’ line-up had an Anglo Welsh/British and Irish Cup feel to it and the young players that took to the field will have to learn rapidly when up against English opposition in the coming campaign.

To that end it was a useful exercise fitted in between the more glamourous meetings with the Blues and Friday’s home friendly with Exeter at Rodney Parade. One imagines the XV for the Chiefs will be similar to the one that heads out to the middle in Belfast.

The teams were evenly matched for an hour in Ystrad Mynach with the home side starting swiftly to 7-0 up thanks to a driving lineout score by Rhys Buckley only for flanker William Ryan to respond from close range.

Number eight Ed Jackson, along with Matthew Screech the pick of the pack, scored a second with a strong finish after a driving lineout was repelled only for the Trailfinders to respond just before half-time, the Dragons once again paying the price for some sloppy tackling.

It was 14-14 at the break and Ealing opted to kick a penalty shortly after the restart through fly-half Jonny Bentley.

A series of strong Dragons scrums ended with half-back Charlie Davies darting over to make it 21-17 after 54 minutes but then things went wrong, the home side disappointing allowing heads to drop.

Former Dragons and Wales wing Will Harries earned the lead back, followed by a close-range effort by hooker Matt Cornish from a driving lineout, scorching finish by scrum-half Luke Carter from quick lineout ball and a final score by tighthead Will Davis.

Not the result that the hosts wanted but it was the performance that would have been more frustrating for those that took to their training pitch, where they will now have to impress if they are to force their way into the fray.

Dragons: GR Jones, G Gasson, B Nightingale (L Lewis 47), J Dixon (captain), A Brew, A O’Brien, C Davies (L Jones 61), K Bale (S Hobbs 40, L Garrett 72), R Buckley (D Harris 61), S Knight (L Fairbrother 45), M Screech (J Davies 48), A Sweet (H Williams 72), H Keddie (J Skinner 68), J Benjamin, E Jackson (J Thomas 57-72).

Scorers: tries – R Buckley, E Jackson, C Davies; conversions – A O’Brien (3)

Ealing Trailfinders: L Daniels, R Crane, A Jenkins, J Munro, Curtis Wilson, J Bentley, A Walker, J Gibbons, M Cornish, W Davis, C Jones, L Jones, W Ryan I Grieve, M Bright (captain).

Replacements: I Lancuba, H Casson, M Macfalane, A Ellis, C York, L Carter, B Ward, J Cordy-Redden, Callum Wilson, P Chesters, W Harries.

Scorers: tries – W Ryan (2), W Harries, M Cornish, L Carter, W Davis; conversions – L Daniels (2), B Ward (2); penalty – J Bentley

Referee: Sam Grove-White (Scotland)