Bristol started the match very strongly playing into a rather deceptive wind.  There was a dynamism and intensity that we had seen little of before.  It looked as if Bristol were to be almost immediately on the scoreboard when Jack Adams held on to a speculative pass and found a yawning gap in the disorganised defence but he slipped as he went for the line and spilled the ball forward.  Bristol were not to be denied for long, however, when poor Coventry defending saw Tom Arscott set free out wide on the right for an unconverted try and a 5 - 0 lead.

The first time Coventry got into the Bristol half they came away with points when the impressive Carlisle kicked a good penalty to narrow the gap to 5 - 3.   Bristol struck back swiftly with another well worked try.  The forwards drove the ball powerfully, sucking in defenders before releasing Dan Norton who fed Tarscott for another unconverted try and 10 - 3.  Again Coventry scored from their second visit to the Bristol half and another, more challenging, penalty saw the scoreline at 10 - 6.  Bristol continued to run forcefully and with purpose; both forwards and backs making good ground.  Another try was on the cards as Coventry turned over possession and the hosts took full advantage of a poorly aligned defence.  Quick passing saw Norton speed over in the far left.  Yet another difficult conversion attempt drifted wide, as the wind that Adrian Jarvis had doubtless noted in his earlier kicks, dropped at the crucial instant.  Still, it was 15 - 6 and Bristol were good value for the lead.

A lead that was further extended when the forwards once more took the ball on before releasing the backs who rapidly got the ball out to Tarscott who cut back inside, and chipped the defence for his hat-trick, much to the delight of watching relatives.  Jarvis made no mistake this time and it was 22 - 6, and the bonus point was secured.  However, Coventry narrowed the gap from just their third visit to the Bristol half when Carlisle chipped over the flat Bristol defence and collected the ball to race in under the posts for 22 - 13 following the conversion.  As the half drew to a close, Bristol emphasised their forward dominance with more vigorous play by mauling up to the 5 metre line.  Jason Spice broke away and freed Norton who tried to jink through, but was closed down.  He chipped on but it looked the wrong option.  Spice, though, was very sharp and he nipped through, seized the ball and was over for a try that was again unconverted but Bristol held a thoroughly deserved 27 - 13 half-time lead.

In contrast to the first half, Bristol started the second rather lethargically.   Lax defence saw Marrigan burrow over with just a few minutes played to narrow the disparity to 27 - 18.  Heartened, and perhaps knowing that Bristol had only put together good performances in one half of other games, Coventry looked more composed and determined, and applied a period of sustained pressure that was rewarded by a well struck penalty to further reduce the difference to 27 - 21.

Any nerves at this reversal were settled when the forwards once more won good ball and released Norton for a lancing run down his wing.  He was supported by James Phillips who showed a back-rower's pace to storm over for another unconverted try for a 32 - 21 lead.  Bristol had overcome their earlier sluggishness and pressed for another try.  Again the pack provided the platform, forcing a turnover.  The backs then harried the defence in the visitors' 22.  It looked as though Bristol had over-elaborated, but replacement Luke Eves cut back inside to take the scoring pass and dive over by the posts.  With just his second straightforward conversion, Jarvis took Bristol to a commanding 39 - 21.  Bristol continued to keep up the intensity and, as Coventry struggled to get out of their 22, Jack Adams leapt to gather an attempted chip kick and had the speed and strength to cross for a try that Jarvis again converted for Bristol's final score and a 46 - 21 lead.  As the game drew to its conclusion Coventry launched a long, speculative kick down towards the Bristol line.  Norton had it covered and dropped on the ball and was promptly smothered by a Coventry player.  In the last of a catalogue of poor decisions, the referee gave a penalty against Bristol for holding on!  Clearly my understanding that the player has to be allowed to get to his feet in this situation is totally in error.  In any event, Coventry used this latest piece of buffoonery to go for a catch and drive that saw Dugard go over for a short range converted try and a final score of 46 - 28.

A hugely improved performance from Bristol with many of the faults previously seen eliminated or minimised.  The pack looked good against what is admittedly a relatively weak unit.  However, and encouragingly, there are still areas for improvement.  The lineout had some shaky moments, as did the defence.  We also lacked the precision to convert the amount of possession won into points (and that's despite scoring eight tries).  Having said that, we saw good individual and collective performance.  Tom Arscott took his hat-trick well, but for my money it was the forwards who deserved the recognition.  Lastly, it is rare after a big win for me to be so unhappy with the standard of officiating.  The final try followed a really clear offence from Coventry but was awarded against Bristol, offside was apparently non-existent, three Coventry players hitting one Bristol player was of course entirely the fault of the Bristol player and a move from Bristol was penalised on the Coventry line for a push off the ball when the Bristol player who had kicked the ball had just been pushed by Coventry.  Possibly similar errors were made in favour of Bristol, but obviously I wasn't in position to see those!  The touch judge (or possibly assistant referee) who, when told from the crowd that he was in the wrong position, and then moved at least took advice from the sidelines, which is more than the referee did. 

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