The result was a victory to the visitors by 4 penalties against a single breakaway try and it was hard work and discipline which won the match.

The LISC team coach arrived around 1pm, 2 hours before kick-off and I decided to take the local service bus for a mile down the Gloucester road to the city centre. I explored the quayside and strolled up the hill towards Clifton and the University to the base of the Cabot tower. The Avon sparkled, fountains played and groups of students arranged themselves on the grass in front of the Custom House. After a pint I caught another 70's bus back up the Gloucester rd to the ground in time for kick off. There does seem to be an awful lot of cars in addition to the modern plentiful bus supply, but the roads aren't wide enough for bus lanes. I don't know what will happen when the proposed congestion charge hits Bristol. It already has Park n Ride.

I got back in time for kick off and saw that London Irish had a healthy occupation of supporters behind the opposite posts in the South Stand, with a few high in the Centenary stand. It was a very good turnout among the crowd of 8,000+.

Of course it's true that after 55 minutes an off the ball clash between Bristol wing Lee Robinson and Exiles full back Delon Armitage led to a yellow card for the former and red for the latter, but the provocative tactic of the locals did not bear fruit. Once again the performances of our substitutes were more than up to the job as the final minutes saw Bristol implode with mistakes and ill discipline. Many times last season we won games through scintillating back play, opportunism, quick thinking and an open expressive style. This was not one of those performances. This game was won by paying close attention to referee Spreadbury and his pre-match instructions on behaviour at the tackle area.

Both sides had talented players taken away on international duty, Mike Catt as England captain, fly half Shane Geraghty and scrum half Shaun Perry on the bench. Recent injuries have robbed Bristol of future England No8 Dan Ward-Smith, captain Matt Salter, and covering fly half Dave Hill. Usual hooker Mark 'Ronnie' Regan was benched to give his hand more time to recover from last weeks game at Wasps. The fists of prop Jason Hobson are suspended for 2 weeks by the club after his admitted ( and apologised for ) assault of Phil Vickery. All in all it's very different looking Bristol team from a month ago and they have Saracens next week, so it's not going to get easier for them.

Both sides therefore had to reorganise and look for leadership on the field, people who can take the coaches' gameplan and execute it. London Irish had the confidence of 3 previous victories at home and away, Bristol were coming on the back of two away defeats to workmanlike Harlequins and flashy Wasps who had nilled them. In rugby one of the greatest humiliations is to be nilled, failing to score, unable to cross the whitewash and unable to poke a kick through the sticks. Some of the reason for this small blip in form could be caused by the lack of the monumental Ward-Smith. Since his injury 3 different players have covered the 8, and it didn't do the aging captain Salter much good to move from his usual spot from flanker where he was chief enforcer and motivator. I think he was missed as much as Hilton & Regan in the Bristol scrum, and Perry picking ball out at the base.

O'Riordan did his best with scraps had little time and did not last the game out, and the 3rd choice scrum half was little better.

We won because we had leadership in the team and forwards from Bob Casey, great kicking from Barry Everitt and the 100% Rikki Flutey, solid tackling and a high work rate at every tackle area. We didn't tend to stray off side in defence, and looked to get quick ball going in attack. In comparison Bristol looked thuggish and even lazy. As a result referee Spreadbury crucially penalised Bristol for hanging on to the ball and piling in to slow down our attacking ball, and we had the place kickers on the field to take advantage. Yes, gentle reader, the cry of "Roll away Tacklurrrrr" went unheeded by the home side. The local crowd did not always appreciate the nuances of the tackle area as policed by Spreaders, and did their best to intimidate the kicker. Flutey held his nerve well kicking in to a stiff breeze, both of his kicks having an interesting curve which took the ball into the middle of the posts after a worrying post-bothering moment.

Well overall it wasn't a very good or exciting match, but as a long time London Irish supporter I get used to it. I was reminded of the story of two men crossing a field with a bull in it. Mick says to Paddy "I don't have to run faster than the bull, I just have to run faster than you". So it was on Saturday, and we were the least bad of the two teams out there. Having started the year with a hangover in the West Country this was a more enjoyable experience. On Jan 1st I'd been muttering "Dr Foster went to Gloucester in a shower of rain" and at least we had great weather for this. I was dry, sheltered from the breeze, close to the toilets and bar and had a square stantion to rest my 2 pint tub of beer. I could see all 4 corners of the flat dry grassy pitch. It was sunny but not in my eyes, and we were playing with the breeze in the first half, we were in control.

Two penalties from the ever reliable place kicker Barry Everitt put us 6-0 up, as he played a solid game behind our strong forwards driving down the middle. A very good solid opening 20 minutes from London Irish.

A long clearing kick by Bristol led to a mix up between our left wing and full-back, as we tried to keep the ball in for a quick counter we only succeeded in giving the lineout away. The blushes were spared by stealing the lineout, and helped by the breeze we got downfield again.

After 30 minutes it was disappointing to see Barry screw a drop goal attempt wide after an excellent break by Rikki Flutey, I felt that being ahead was a good reward. There had been no drama and little for Bristol to make any noise about. Yet it seemed that this miss was a warning bell fro Bristol who closed the first half quite strongly. They mounted their first serious multi-phase attack and we had to make some very serious tackles. After being roared on by the home crowd it seemed that the attacking formation broke down in the forwards, and Bristol were isolated and penalised for holding on after 35 minutes. The relieving kick got us down field ready to mount another attack.

However towards the end of the first half disaster struck. Following a brilliant break by Seilala Mapusua down the touchline the ball was being switched in to midfield. Somehow a pass from the fly half found the centre and the two wings in field, and this embarrassment of riches conspired to drop the ball. The Bristol wing David Lemi picked up the ball and hared for the line. And I mean hared. The small quick and nimble Lemi was chased down by 2 large Irish wolfhounds but he jinked the final few yards to the line as you hoped he may get caught. It wasn't just the speed of thought and pick up, it wasn't just the acceleration, it was the angles of evasive running he took inside the 22 which made it a very good try under the posts. He'd Motor'ed for 65 metres to turn the game on its Head. 7-6 to Bristol as Bob Casey rallied the troops in-goal and the in-house tannoy played "The Ace of Spades" in celebration. Lemi has certainly gained some speed since giving up the bass, the dodgy 'tache, and the drugs. A hero without heroin.

Does he have a thing for London Irish ? I think that David Lemi has now scored against us in the 'A' team fixture, as sub in our home game, and this away GP game. Nemesis, thy name is Lemmy.

As it turned out this was not the turning point of the game, nor was the brandishing of disciplinary cards midway through the second half as Riki Flutey continued where Barry left off. 2 further penalties in the second half were enough to see our simple game plan bring success. Some may say we were limited in ambition, but we brought the points home and we did it through sheer hard work. Bristol can only blame international call-ups, heavy injuries to experienced players, for the disorganised way they played collectively with their Portishead up their fundament.

Post match we had a drink or two in the Clubhouse bar which was showing the Italy v Wales game. Enjoyment of this was spoiled somewhat by huge adverts stupidly proclaiming some Bristol Media bollix, reducing the visible area of the screen. It was rather like watching red ants play blue ants through the wrong end of a telescope.

 Scorers: Bristol: Try: Lemi (40+2min).

Conversion: Strange. London Irish:

Penalty goals: Everitt 2 (15, 22), Flutey 2 (62, 80).

Scoring sequence (Bristol first): 0-3, 0-6, 7-6 (half-time), 7-9, 7-12.

Bristol: J Taumalolo; L Robinson (sin-bin, 56-66), N Brew, R Higgitt, D Lemi; J Strange, B O’Riordan; A Clarke (rep: D Hilton, 64), S Linklater
(rep: M Regan, 64), D Crompton, R Winters, G Llewellyn, N Budgett, J El Abd, A Blowers.

London Irish: D Armitage (sent-off: 56); T Ojo, S Mapusua, R Flutey, S Tagicakibau; B Everitt (rep: N Mordt, 80+1), P Hodgson; N Hatley (rep: M Collins, 65), R Russell (rep: D Paice, 46), F Rautenbach (rep: T Lea’aetoa, 19), N Kennedy (rep: J Hudson, 75), B Casey, K Roche (rep: J Leguizamón, 46), S Armitage, P Murphy.

Referee: A Spreadbury.

Attendance: 8,593.

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