BRISTOL 31

NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 19

Guinness Premiership Round 13 (postponed)

Memorial Stadium

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Saints started brightly enough, Ben Cohen winning the kick-off and Shaun Perry’s box kick going straight into touch. Stephen Myler also had a third-minute long-range penalty attempt which the wind took left of the posts. But that initial lineout conceded by Perry had been tapped into space, as was the visitors’ second such set-piece.

This allowed Bristol to force Myler to kick and when Bernardo Stortoni ran back he made far too many easy yards. The hosts were now on the front foot and following a five-metre scrum Bristol spread the play, creating space for Rob Higgit to crash over by the posts. Danny Gray converted and Bristol had a seven-point lead in as many minutes.

With hard yards from Mark Robinson and Christian Labit Saints tried to work their way back into the match. But a turnover, and Sean Lamont’s forward pass to Bruce Reihana, gave the hosts another threatening scrum. This turned into a penalty that Gray converted for a 10-nil lead.

Saints’ fourth lineout was also won and for the first time caught by Damien Browne. This set up a drive and with good hands by Dylan Hartley, Tom Smith, Robinson and Reihana, space was created for Lamont to streak through midfield. The space closed and Carlos Spencer’s chip became a home 22 drop-out.

But the long kick allowed Reihana the space to build up a head of steam down the left wing and when the ball was recycled quickly Myler kicked across-field to Lamont. Cohen was in support and with a simple pass he was over for a try. Myler narrowly missed the conversion but Saints were on the board.

They also now had impetus and had Cohen collected his kick ahead a second score would have been a formality. But it was missed kicks that were becoming Saints’ Achilles Heel and had Myler’s penalty on the half-hour gone over then the visitors would have been ahead.

It wasn’t a problem afflicting Gray however, and when Spencer conceded a penalty on his own 22 Bristol’s fly-half stepped up to calm home nerves by extending the lead to eight points. This was extended to 11 by David Lemi’s drop-goal a minute before the break but it should have been more.

A second clean Stortoni break had the crowd screaming for a pass to the unmarked Lemi which would have resulted in a try. But the full-back cut inside and Bristol had to be content with the three points and a healthy 16-5 half-time lead.

Now playing into the wind Saints got off to a perfect start after the break. Christian Labit’s carry from the scrum base was quickly worked wide and into Spencer’s hands. He and Reihana both made yards and it was Lamont who spied space behind a Saints rolling maul to stroll over by the sticks. Myler converted and at 16-12 the visitors were back in the match.

Six minutes later however and the hard work was undone. Though Bristol were suffering from a lack of decisiveness an Andrew Blowers thrust around the fringes was enough to ensure that Dave Hilton would celebrate his hundredth Bristol appearance with a try. Gray converted and the margin was 11 once more.

This became 14 in the 55th minute when Gray turned Robbie Kydd’s early tackle on Higgit into points. But Saints could have halved this had they turned the first opportunity of the final quarter into the try that it deserved.

Backline moves sent firstly left then right by Spencer – now at fly-half with Myler’s substitution – created an overlap on the right. Gareth Llewellyn had other ideas and his vital tackle on Bristol old boy Vaughan Going forced the final pass to go forward.

But Perry knocked on at the scrum and Saints again had good possession and position to match. This time they didn’t waste it and Matias Cortese barrelled his way over for his first Saints try. Spencer converted and Saints were again in bonus point territory.

Again however Bristol fought back and though Saints resisted one fringe push after another the home pack ultimately proved too strong and Roy Winters emerged with the ball.

It was the crucial score that took a second unlikely comeback in two years out of reach. Saints tried to retrieve the losing bonus point however and Bens Lewitt and Cohen combined to threaten down the left.

The visitors also had a pair of midfield scrums to launch attacks from. But the Bristol defence remained up to the challenge and Saints left the Memorial Ground with no GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP points.

Teams:
Bristol – Stortoni (Taumalolo 66mins); Morgan (Strange 76mins), Brew, Higgit, Lemi; Gray, Perry (Nicholls 79mins); Hilton (Clarke 64mins), Regan, Crompton, Winters, Llewellyn (capt), To’oala (Budgett 66mins), El Abd (Pennycook 77mins), Blowers.

Northampton Saints – Reihana (capt); Lamont, Spencer, Kydd, Cohen; Myler (Going 50mins), Robinson; Smith, Hartley (Cortese 50mins), Brooks (Tonga’uhia 50mins), Browne (Gerard 60mins), Short, Tupai, Fox (Lewitt 60mins), Labit.

Scorers:
Bristol – Tries: Higgit, Hilton, Winters; Cons: Gray (2); Pens: Gray (3); Drop-goal: Lemi.

Northampton Saints – Tries: Cohen, Lamont, Cortese; Cons: Myler, Spencer.

Guinness man of the match:
Roy Winters

Attendance:
9,553

TIMELINE:
7mins BRISTOL Try Higgit Con Gray 7-0
15mins BRISTOL Pen Gray 10-0
20mins SAINTS Try Cohen 10-5
35mins BRISTOL Pen Gray 13-5
39mins BRISTOL Drop-goal Lemi 16-5
HALF-TIME BRISTOL 16 SAINTS 5
43mins SAINTS Try Lamont Con Myler 16-12
49mins BRISTOL Try Hilton Con Gray 23-12
55mins BRISTOL Pen Gray 26-12
66mins SAINTS Try Cortese Con Spencer 26-19
71mins BRISTOL Try Winters 31-19
FULL-TIME BRISTOL 31 SAINTS 19