Well, I forgot my notebook and camera this evening.  This, in playing terms, is what Bristol seemed to have done as well.  I‘ll do my best from memory.  The match started with some inconclusive sparring before David Blaney spotted a gap and sprinted clear only to be halted by what looked a dubious tackle.  In any event, it appeared as if Moseley would be first on the scoresheet as a pretty obvious pass was intercepted and Moseley looked to have a clear run in.  Fortunately, the visitors had come up offside, although Adrian Jarvis was off-target with his penalty kick.  Bristol kept up the pressure without ever looking to break through the defence, but eventually Mosley were penalised and Jarvis made no mistake this time to take Bristol to 3 - 0 at the end of the first quarter.

Typically Bristol then gifted points back to the opposition just two minutes later when Roberts equalised from a penalty.  The childish cries from the Peninsula stand were silenced at half time by a stern word, although I think that rugby (in the British isles anyway) is a bit too precious about this sort of thing, although I'm in a minority.   Proving that he wasn't bothered by the catcalls he took Moseley into 3 - 6 lead with a further penalty after 33 minutes.  Things looked even worse for Bristol with yet another penalty shortly before half time and a 3 - 9 score.

However, Bristol finally managed to execute a well-orchestrated move as the clock reached 40 minutes.  Luke Arscott, who had decidedly mixed fortunes, made the initial break out right before angling his run back inside.  The ball went to Jason Spice who turned to present the ball to a supporting player.  If Moseley had been a bit sharper they might have been able to stop the move at this point, because the supporting player, coming in at an angle was a bit slow in arriving, leaving the Bristol captain isolated for an instant.  Fortunately Tom Arscott was able to take the pass and score by the posts for a converted try and a scarcely deserved 10 - 9 lead at half time.

Those hoping for a second half improvement were to be sadly disappointed.  With just three minutes played Jarvis extended Bristol's lead to 13 - 9 with an excellent penalty kick from close on halfway.  Moseley looked to close the gap when Larscott was harshly penalised for a ‘spear' tackle.  It wasn't a good tackle but from my angle it looked as if the power of Arscott's tackle took him 'through' the nearly stationary player just below the hips, causing him to flip over and creating the impression that he had been lifted and dumped.  Luckily the kick was well off target as the jeers from the clubhouse end made clear.

When Moseley were penalised again, Jarvis was sensibly asked to kick.  He duly obliged for a 16 - 9 lead.  With a small amount of breathing space Bristol tried to administer the coup de grace and did managed to string together a few moves but lacked the accuracy and patience to finish them off.  Too often possession was kicked away, although Dan Norton did have a couple of chances to show his paces and also his defensive skills.  Eventually the forwards had a couple of drives that took them close before the ball went out to the right, stretching the defence.  Bristol failed to make the chance count but the referee was playing a long advantage and Bristol, with the forwards clearly on top, elected to take the scrum.  The ball was edged close to the line but was just held out.  Mosley were penalised again (and this from a side that were awarded three penalty tries against another old rival, Coventry).  Inexplicably, Jarvis was this time told to go for the posts.  He made no mistake, but the crowd made secret of their collective displeasure at the decision to take a 19 - 9 lead.

It appeared that Moseley were going to strike back immediately but once again the relatively straight forward penalty kick was off target.  The last few minutes saw some really scrappy play with Bristol realising that Moseley couldn't win and Moseley going for a bonus point.  It had a certain entertainment value but no structure or precision.  The mood was epitomised by Larscott's peculiar drop goal effort from near the halfway line. 

This was a lacklustre performance from Bristol, exhibiting poor decision-making and a near fatal absence of precision.  The tactical kicking remains woeful.  Individual efforts from Luke Arscott were appalling when, under no pressure and with time to turn the ball to a position of his liking, he sliced and hooked.  Generally we kicked possession away and failed to follow it up.  I know that Paul Hull favours a structured chase with a defensive line formed across the pitch but this approach is far too cautious and doesn't seem to achieve very much anyway.  Still the scrum was largely dominant, although the lineout was a bit of mess with neither team throwing in well.  Perhaps the strong swirling wind was a factor!  This might explain why on at least two occasions we saw players jumping for the ball and crashing into each other in Laurel and Hardy fashion.  Or perhaps not.  There were some reasonable individual performances but collectively it was a performance far below the standard we should be watching.

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