Poole crossed twice for the hosts during an opening half that switched relentlessly from end to end before carrying and tackling himself to a standstill in a second period that saw Cov gradually seize the initiative.
Ealing eventually outscored the blue-and-whites by six tries to four, but with Craig Willis and Billy Twelvetrees collectively unable to locate their kicking boots it was the home side that deservedly emerged victorious.
Head coach Alex Rae said: "We had two very good teams going toe-to toe today in a fantastic advert for Championship rugby. I'm really proud of the players and the commitment they showed. We were asleep for the first 10 minutes and then after that it was two very good attacking teams going at each other even if the defence coaches will be pulling their hair out a bit."
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