London Scottish moved clear at the top of the table after a momentous 14-8 home win over Ealing on Saturday left them the only side still unbeaten in the London League Division One.

Now, having become the first team to defeat Ealing this season, Scottish will be looking for their seventh successive league win when they visit Worthing this Saturday.

Ealing, having won at Richmond and at Worthing, arrived as slight favourites. And when Scottish, trailing 8-3, lost Melvyn Lewis to a red card before the break, the outlook was not good.

The Scots had led through Jamie Whelan's penalty, but Ben Ward put Ealing level after referee Andrew Gaynor penalised the Scots for coming through a ruck when the ball was clearly already out.

Superb tackling by Whelan, Jerry Costeloe, Josh Heke and Rory Greenslade-Jones subdued Ealing until Costeloe had to go off for treatment to a head wound.

Rowan Brown was then given a yellow card which led to Ealing's eight-on-seven line-out drive forcing the ball over for David Essien to touch down. Ward missed the conversion, but worse was to follow.

With Scottish setting up a ruck, Essien hauled Lewis away from the play despite neither man having the ball. Lewis appeared to lash out as he tried to wriggle free and Essien dropped as if shot. Mr Gaynor promptly yellow carded Essien and red carded Lewis.

When Brown returned Scottish replaced him almost immediately with Matt Johnston as they needed a prop. But Essien was sidelined for a full 13 minutes and Ealing lost their way.

Scottish, inspired by Charles Broughton, took advantage with a try from Matt Vines following a surging run by full-back Stuart Peel. Whelan's kick drifted across the goal so it was 8-8 at half-time.

The home side's 14 men took control in the second-half and, although Ross Yiend had a try disallowed, they added six points with two penalties by Whelan. The second offence brought Essien another yellow card and therefore a red.

Ealing could still have turned the tables, but their six attackers failed to get past three Scottish defenders. And when Whelan received a yellow card, Ealing wasted the penalty.

London Scottish: Peel, Broughton, Greenslade-Jones, Heke, Vines (Yiend, 40mins), Costeloe, Whelan, Kelly, Silvester, Lewis, Butler, Soper, Devane (Ramsay, 60), Brown (Johnston, 39), Alesbrook.