Pointless Second Half

By Mr Paws
March 31 2007

B**h move into the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup after a thumping 51-12 victory over Bristol. Trailing by two points at half-time, they scored seven unanswered second-half tries, with Nick Abendanon landing a hat-trick.

Bristol kicked off in the blustery but bright conditions. Andrew Blowers took possession and Bristol were on the attack, only to offend to negate the early advantage. At the scrum B**h were awarded the penalty and the props were spoken to by the referee. Malone kicked play back down into the Bristol half. B**h secured their lineout ball and went through several phases of play before Malone failed with a drop goal attempt. He knew, however, that advantage was being played and so it was back for the penalty. Barkley stepped up but was surprisingly wide with a poor effort. This was to set the tone for much of the place kicking for the rest of the game. B**h got hold of the restart and strove to breakdown the Bristol defence as Blowers and Shaun Perry put in thumping tackles. David Lemi made a dangerous break before feeding on to Gareth Llewellyn, well supported by the rest of the pack. Bristol maintained possession and probed at the defence before a sloppy pass from Perry put Danny Gray under Pressure. Gray managed to skilfully get the ball away to Neil Brew. Ultimately Bristol conceded possession as they failed to support at the breakdown. Walsh then kicked defensively at the scrum and, under some pressure, it went straight into touch to hand the advantage straight back to Bristol. B**h then gave away a penalty for handling in the ruck and Gray had a long-range penalty chance. It seemed to be into the wind and, predictably, it drifted wide. Blowers reclaimed the dropout and the ball was passed out to Lee Robinson who made ground. The forwards followed up and drove to within 15 metres of the line. With Perry buried in the ruck no one took responsibility to secure the ball and the scrum went to B**h. Malone put in a huge clearing kick and Borthwick claimed the lineout from Llewellyn. The ball went swiftly out to Abendanon who just did enough to sneak in at the corner. The conversion was well taken by Barkley and it was 7 – 0.

Bristol tried to strike back but made an utter mess of the next lineout to gift-wrap the ball for B**h. They, in turn, made an obvious error of their own, with a clear forward pass, to hand the ball back. Blowers made a quick break as a free kick was awarded at the scrum. David Lemi was almost clear as the Bristol backrow arrived in support. Joe El Abd went close but was penalised for holding on. Walsh, foolishly, took the penalty quickly and made little distance befor being halted and turning over possession. Bristol won a solid scrum and Gray sent out a fine long pass that set Lee Robinson free on the wing to sprint in for his customary try against B**h. The difficult conversion attempt was missed, but Bristol were right back in it a 7 – 5. Robinson was prominent again almost immediately as he powered through the B**h defence as he ran a great line between the Bristol centres to wrong foot the defenders. He went close, looked as if he should have passed but then freed the ball as he was tackled to allow Lemi to scamper in for a Hilton-esque try! Gray just about managed to convert to take Bristol into a 7 -12 lead. Some unproductive and scrappy play followed as B**h struggled to impose themselves. Boldly, they attempted to run out of defence but turned over possession as the Bristol backrow outplayed their opposite numbers. Soon they gave away a penalty for holding on to give Gray another penalty opportunity, but hooked his ambitious effort wide.

B**h then had a penalty of their own when Bristol obstructed the attackers whilst Robinson dealt with a kick. B**h went for touch and the lineout. Bristol were, perhaps, fortunate not to give away a penalty as the maul seemed to be taken down almost immediately it formed but instead the penalty went to Bristol as B**h were deemed to have held on to the ball. B**h then gave away another penalty as Bristol attacked and Gray made a truly awful attempt at goal from right in front of the posts. Perhaps he was over-compensating for the gusting wind? B**h were able to kick downfield but Lemi returned it with interest. B**h then managed to edge their way to the halfway line where they were awarded a penalty that Barkley struck to narrow the gap to 10 – 12 just as the half ended. Bristol deserved the half time lead and might easily have been further ahead. The second half saw Greg Nicholls replace Perry as Bristol claimed the kick off. Gray cleared well downfield. B**h were secure on their own lineout and worked their way back downfield with forwards and backs working well. Unfortunately for them the Bristol backrow, perhaps for the last time in the match, were able to force the turnover. Gray elected to run and passed out to Lemi who was well marshalled by the defence and forced to run very wide and only a neat grubber from Brew prevented Bristol from giving the ball up to to B**h. Surprisingly B**h now made a mess of the lineout and Robinson took the ball at fly-half and made a few metres before B**h infringed and gave Bristol and early (and, did we but know it, last) penalty chance. Yet again Gray was well off target. Malone was able to put in a touch finder that put the pressure back on to Bristol. Pressure that Bristol were never really to relieve.
B**h won clean ball and drove on. Eventually the ball went out to Maddock, as the Bristol defence was outflanked when Brew attempted to take man and ball, and he went over for the try. It was 15 – 12 with another conversion missed. The restart was well claimed by Cheeseman who looked dangerous before Brew halted his run. Bristol then attempted to attack but turned over possession to B**h who were looking increasingly dangerous. Wave after wave of attacks stretched the Bristol defence from side to side and it was Cheeseman who went over despite the valiant effort of Robinson to hold him up. 20 – 12 with the conversion attempt drifting wide on the wind. It was all B**h at the moment and Bristol knew they had to strike back to halt the building momentum. They managed to work their way into the B**h half, but again coughed up the ball. B**h were again on the attack with both Abendanon and Maddock prominent. The B**h forwards took the ball on but gave away a penalty to allow Bristol some respite. Replacement Jason Strange, with Gray’s wayward kicking probably being the reason for his departure, made a good touch but the lineout was promptly won by B**h. They then scored a really soft looking try when Brew, isolated after some poor kicking, was dispossessed and Berne was able to romp over untouched. The conversion attempt was again off target but B**h were looking ominous at 25 - 12 whilst Bristol appeared disorganised. Josh Taumalolo, after his lecture from the referee then slipped and knocked on to hand the ball right back to B**h. Barkley and Berne shredded the Bristol defence for the latter to sprint in again. Finally, a conversion was made: 32 -12.

The Bristol defence was looking shell-shocked after this treatment. The changes at half-back looked to have completely dislocated any structure or communication. Malone, now, almost broke through and only his knock on as he attempted to pass out of the tackle saved Bristol. B**h then won turnover ball at the scrum as Nicholls was harried by his opposite number. Berne was able to lob a a pass to Maddock who rapidly shipped it on to Abendanon who went in at the corner to bring up a score of 37 -12 with the conversion attempt being missed again. With just 10 minutes to go it was clear Bristol had only pride to play for, but it was B**h who were enjoying the day more when Mears (who appeared to make a real difference to the B**h pack when he came on) made a great break ably backed up by Lipman and Stevens. Fortunately the move was halted when the referee called play back for a forward pass. Bristol though were looking ragged. Abendanon was set free by Malone and he ran from his 22 to halfway before finally being halted, Maddock took it on before flipping the ball back to Abendanon for his hat-trick try. 44 – 12 after the conversion. Bristol then sparked to life for an instant when Taumalolo made a break before feeding on to Luke Arscott. Sadly it just gave B**h enough space to fashion a last try when Bory got hold of the ball and made a good break, ably supported by Grewcock. The ball went through several pairs of hands before it made it back to Bory who went over for the converted try and a final score of 51 -12.

This was yet another heavy defeat for Bristol in recent games and it hurts that a side beaten three times in the season was made to look so good in the second half. Their first two scores in the second half really made them confident and the much-vaunted Bristol defence looked really poor. Oddly, in the first half, I would have said that it was the B**h defence that looked significantly weaker. Perhaps the significant thing was that whichever side had possession of the ball was able to fashion tries. In the second half Bristol had very little possession and the changes at half-back meant that what possession there was was laboured and uninventive. Having said that, I for one am concerned that we have started to concede tries in large numbers in recent games. We looked good on firm pitches at the start of the season; I don’t think one could realistically claim that we do now. I hope we can bounce back from this and maintain our challenge for the league. It is some comfort that we are in that position (and that B**h are not) but that won’t prevent that B**h supporters crowing over this one (even if it is still 3 – 1 to us!)