By Ian Todd
January 15 2012

Bristol's good run of results came to a rather tame halt against London Welsh.  The scoreline was somewhat flattering to the visitors, who lacked incisiveness and composure at crucial moments.  There were a couple of good individual moments but overall the performance lacked cohesion and dynamism.  The setpiece performance, in particular, was not of the standard Bristol supporters have come to expect  and the large numbers at Old Deer Park will have been disappointed with what they saw.

Bristol kicked off into the brilliant sunshine. Kicking was the opening theme before Sean Marsden's effort, a poor one, enabled Welsh to make touch just inside the Bristol 22. The Bristol clearance made little ground and Welsh claimed the ball to move onto the attack. Bristol were penalised on the 10 metre line, right in front of the posts, but the kick was well wide.

Bristol then turned over the hosts and launched an attack which showed some promise, particularly when a poor Bristol pass momentarily confused defence. Welsh were penalised as Bristol poured through, but Tristan Roberts kick was also wide of the mark.

Bristol reclaimed the restart and swept forward; Josh Ovens made excellent ground, he fed Will Helu who cruised over out left. Roberts conversion effort was shockingly wide. A neat kick ahead from Welsh following the restart again edged them up to the Bristol 22. Bristol claimed the ball and Fautua Otto, then Helu, broke away. Sloppy passing then allowed Tonga’uiha to threaten a breakaway try, but he was bravely hauled down by Roberts.

Jack Tovey made a fine catch as Welsh continued to kick for position but Bristol knocked on from an attempted crossfield kick. Welsh held onto the ball for a while and went through several phases before Bristol went offside for a very obvious penalty and a score of 3-5. Bristol pressured Welsh from the restart and the hosts were penalised at the scrum, Roberts was again off target. Bristol maintained their impetus and Welsh conceded another penalty. From further out Roberts was spot-on for 3-8.

Bristol failed claim the restart but Welsh gave away an inexplicable penalty to get Bristol off the hook. Bristol kicked for field position but the Welsh kicking game was functioning well and the monstrous return effort again moved Welsh into the Bristol 22. The Bristol lineout was misfiring but were let off when Welsh once more fell foul of the referee. Bristol seemed to find it difficult to keep hold of possession and this allowed Welsh to mount some dangerous looking attacks. Fortunately for Bristol Helu was able to hack loose ruck ball well downfield. An excellent chase from Ovens forced a scuffed clearance that gave Bristol an excellent attacking lineout position. The Bristol drive from the lineout lacked cohesion and the home defence was able to deal with the thrust.

Bristol continued to probe away at the defence, but lacked incisiveness and composure. Ovens, perhaps to pick the Bristol forwards, made another fine break that was wrongly called back for crossing. Yet another enormous kick saw Bristol back inside their 22. Welsh attempted to attack from the lineoutbut  conceded yet another penalty to give Bristol a respite. They soon gave away another penalty that allowed Roberts to move Bristol well into the Welsh half. The drive from the lineout was better this time, however once the ball was shifted out wide the move was unable to find a way through the defence. Fortunately for Bristol the referee was playing advantage and so Roberts was able to take score to 3-11 on the stroke of half-time.

Bristol struggled to deal with the second half kick-off and Welsh were right back in the game with a penalty for 6-11. Bristol launched a dangerous attack right from the restart only to knock-on six or 7 metres out. The Bristol scrum then appeared under pressure and were shoved back to allow another long kick to clear any danger. A rather harsh penalty let Roberts kick into the Welsh half, but the lineout throw was  deemed not straight. Bristol were soon penalised to let Welsh back into the Bristol half. Quick ball off the lineout saw Gibson cut through the defensive line and go close to scoring. The support was up swiftly and Tonga’uiha flopped over the line. The conversion took Welsh ahead for the first time the game.

The intelligent Welsh kicking game kept Bristol pegged back but finally a  good move saw the ball passed out to Tovey, and the hosts were penalised as they attempted to contain his threat. A quick tap penalty allowed James Merriman to make a storming run, only for the pass out of the tackle to be knocked on. Welsh seemed to up their game and exerted some pressure on the visiting defence, accurate kicking still forcing Bristol to play from deep. Some poor handling halted an excellent move and Bristol were able to regroup. Welsh conceded yet another penalty and Bristol cleared to touch. As before, the lineout throw from Bristol so far from straight that even the Bristol supporters called it. A fine driving maul from  the Welsh forwards took them well into the Bristol half before a lack of control allowed Roberts to clear. Bristol's lineout woes continued in shocking fashion and Welsh took full advantage; launching another attack, shifting the ball from wing to midfield and then back again. A smart kick ahead then forced Bristol to clear to touch, but only 5 metres out.

The Welsh drive from the lineout was powerful and Bristol were shoved back to their line, and former Bristol favourite Saul Nelson scored the most routine of tries. The conversion made it 20-11. Bristol started to switch play around and attempt some different moves . Welsh gave away a penalty but replacement Matty James saw his effort drift left of the posts. The introduction of some replacements appeared to make Bristol bit livelier. In particular, Jason Hobson was very vocal in his encouragement of the team and seemed to give greater solidity to the set piece. A good attack down the right wing was thwarted only when the final pass from Roy Winters sailed in front of Tovey and into touch.

Welsh took the opportunity to attack Bristol, only to be penalised and allow James to make a fine touch. An excellent move from George Watkins sliced open the midfield defence. He sprinted forwards as the Welsh defence tried to reorganise. He attempted to pass out of the tackle but his effort was hurried, inaccurate and knocked on. Fortunately, the referee awarded a penalty that James sent over 20-14 with just a few minutes to go. This good work was promptly cancelled out with a penalty to Welsh from the restart, forcing Bristol back out of bonus point territory. Ovens made a typically powerful surge down the left flank as Bristol sought another score. Welsh infringed and James knocked over the penalty. There was still time for another last-ditch Bristol attack but Helu knocked on in midfield and Welsh were able to hoof the ball off the pitch with the score standing at 23-17.