Their defence was almost split by a fine break by Matt Salter who was aided by at least two dummy runners blocking defenders.  This took play into the Quins twenty-two and another penalty in favour of Bristol produced a good catch and drive from the lineout and a try for Blowers after only five minutes.  Hill converted from the touchline to give Bristol a 0 – 7 lead. The dominance of the Bristol catch and drive was the main difference between the sides.

Frequent penalties were distributed more or less equally between the two sides.  A good run by Monye was brought down short of the line and the penalty went to Bristol..  As did the next one which Hill kicked successfully from 45 metres to increase the Bristol lead.

Roy Maybank’s whistle continued to blow for offences and penalties began to run mainly in favour of Bristol.  Their heavier pack were quick to the breakdown and despite coming in off their feet and from the side seemed not to be penalised for those infringements.  Again the penalties produced a good attacking lineout for Bristol and another catch an drive carried their hooker, Linklater, over for the try. The conversion increased the lead to 0 – 17 after eighteen minutes.

Quins tried hard to respond and attack. A fine break by Jewell continued by Brown took play well into the Bristol half and a penalty set up an attacking lineout five metres from the Bristol line on the right.  As the catch and drive rolled towards scoring, it was pulled down illegally and a penalty try was awarded which Jewell converted.  Twenty-five minutes elapsed and the score was 7 – 17.

As Quins tried to resume their attacks, possession was turned over and Care and Monye had to chase back after a long downfield kick into space by the visitors.  They won the chase but Bristol gained a scrum only fifteen metres out, followed by a penalty and almost inevitably another attacking lineout, catch and drive for yet another try with Salter being credited with the score.  Hill’s conversion increased the lead to 7 – 24 after thirty-three minutes.

Quins went back on the attack, moving the ball wide and then trying to achieve a territorial advantage from which the attack again.  They picked and drove round the fringes and gained yards assisted by a quickly tapped penalty. A yellow card for Bristol prop, Darren Crompton, helped Quins establish some advantage as Jewel took the three points on offer to reduce the lead to 10 – 24.

Quins tried hard during the remainder of the half to produce another score but despite position and penalties there were no further scores before the interval. At half-time Mike Ross, back from injury, replaced Ceri Jones.

Almost from the restart the penalties continued and David Hill attempted to increase Bristol’s lead with an attempt from thirty-five metres and failed to score.  It was ten minutes into the half before the next score when, finally, Ugo Monye broke through and away from two tacklers and ran thirty metres to score under the posts.  Jewell converted and Quins were back on terms at 17 – 24.

Quins strayed offside in the face of the next Bristol attack leaving Hill to gather an easy three points and extend the lead to 17 – 27.  Mass substitutions started as Evans, Robshaw and Jewell were replace by Spanghero, Skinner and Stegman with Tom Williams moving to fly half.  There had earlier been a stoppage for a Bristol injury with the stretcher needed fror winger Luke Arscott.  Now an injury to Skinner brought the stretcher out a second time, but after some delay he was able to walk from the field with assistance and Robson replaced him.

With the game disrupted by substitutions and stoppages, it was hard for either team to get back into the game.  Quins tried hard and set up good attacking positions only to waste them by unforced errors.  A good break by Mike Brown almost put Amesbury away but a knock-on ended the attack.  An attempted kick through for Monye to run onto produced a penalty to Bristol as Monye was deemed to be in front of the kicker.
Then a fine kick to the corner from Monye saw Stegman chase down and haul the full back into touch to set up an attacking lineout.

A knock-on as Quis attacked gave Quins an attacking scrum five metres out and from the base of the scrum Danny Care managed to scramble through to score.  Mike Brown missed the conversion from the touchline and Bristol had won 22 – 27

TEAMS:

Harlequins: 15. Mike Brown, 14. Tom Williams, 13. Ugo Monye, 12. Tosh Masson,
11. Charlie Amesbury, 10. Seb Jewell, 9. Danny Care, 1. Ceri Jones, 2. Tani Fuga,
3. John Brooks, 4. Ollie Kohn, 5. Jim Evans, 6. Chris Robshaw, 7. Paul Volley (Capt.)
8. Phil Davies.
Replacements: 16. Aston Croall, 17. Ricky Nebbett, 18. Mike Ross, 19. James Percival, 20. Nicolas Spanghero, 21. George Robson, 22. Will Skinner, 23. Ryan Manyika, 24. Matt Rhodes, 25. Jordan Turner-Hall, 26. Seb Stegmann.

Bristol Rugby: 15. Josh Taumalolo, 14. Tom Arscott, 13. Neil Brew, 12. Sam Cox, 11. Luke Arscott, 10. David Hill, 9. Graeme Beveridge, 1. Alex Clarke, 2. Scott Linklater, 3. Darren Crompton, 4. Dave Attwood, 5. Roy Winter, 6. Matt Salter (Capt.), 7. JoeEl Abd, 8. Andrew Blowers.
Replacements: 16. Dave Hilto, 17. Paul Fincksen, 18. Jason Hobson, 19. Josh Brown,
20. Redford Pennycook, 21. James Phillips, 22. Haydn Thomas,  23. Jason Strange, 24. Craig Morgan, 25. Rob Higgitt

Referee: Roy Maybank (RFU)
 








 

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