BRISTOL BATTLE TO LAST-SECOND VICTORY

Tristan Roberts kicked all of Bristol's points, his final effort with the last touch of the game overhauling Nottingham's total and claiming the spoils.  Bristol were made to work hard by the visitors and gave away two early tries with very poor defending.  They tightened up after the second and Nottingham rarely threatened again.  The home scrum was utterly dominant and Nottingham were, perhaps, fortunate not to have been more severely punished

Bristol kicked off the game, the ball well chased by Josh Ovens. Sean Marsden got Bristol going forward and Northampton gave away an early penalty. Tristan Roberts was spot-on for the first points of the game.

Almost straightaway Nottingham seized on a loose ball to score in the left corner. The defence was feeble and, with the difficult conversion sailing over, it was 3-7 with fewer than 5 minutes on the clock.

Bristol tried to respond but a fairly obvious forward pass halted the move. Bristol defended staunchly, only to be penalised for failing to release. Nottingham kicked for territory and then attacked quickly. The Bristol defence looked very shaky. Another penalty soon followed; the kick was well wide, but the Bristol clearance was very poor. Nottingham drove from the lineout and their backs sliced through more paper-thin defence, running another try. The conversion was off target but Bristol were 3-12 behind.

Bristol exerted some pressure up front, were awarded a free quick kick and chose to scrum. The ball went out quickly, with good passing from Roberts. Bristol made ground down the left wing, into the Nottingham 22, only to knock-on. The Nottingham scrum struggled again, another free-kick, another Bristol scrum. This scrum was a mess and the referee lectured both front rows and eventually awarded Nottingham a fairly inexplicable penalty. They kicked for territory and Williams knocked-on clumsily as he attempted to take the ball. Ovens did well to recover possession only for a harsh knock-on to be adjudged. At the scrum Nottingham were finally penalised and Roberts had a kick at the posts. It was a fine effort and he edged Bristol closer at 6-12.

Bristol then got hold of the ball following more good work from Ovens, and a quick attack followed. With the visitors offside, Roberts sent over another well struck penalty and it was 9-12. Bristol kept up the pressure, only to run out of space out wide. Nottingham kicked for territory and found an excellent touch. The Bristol clearance from the lineout was poor and Nottingham had the lineout only slightly further out and their drive was good. Bristol were penalised and the last action the half saw Nottingham moved to 9-15.

The Nottingham scrum started the half in similar vein as it ended the first; giving away a penalty. The very next scrum following a          Bristol knock-on suffered the same fate. This time Roberts went the posts and the ball sailed over for 12-15. Nottingham won a penalty as Bristol pulled down a maul and they went for the corner and pushed ever closer to the Bristol 5 metre line only to be forced into touch. Bristol then work their way back upfield as Nottingham were penalised again at the set piece. The ball was hacked downfield and sowed confusion in both ranks, but Bristol eventually reclaimed the ball and went through the phases only for a poor pass to hand possession to Nottingham. A strange penalty allowed Nottingham into the Bristol half but they made little ground and the ball went back into touch on the far side of the pitch. To the displeasure of the Bristol supporters it was adjudged to be a Nottingham lineout. Nottingham again pushed Bristol back with good kicking and managed to keep hold of possession in the face of robust defence. Finally, Bristol won a penalty and Roberts found a good touch. Sadly Nottingham then stole the lineout to negate any advantage. Scrappy play eventually saw Bristol retrieve the ball and Rhys Lawrence made a nice break, spinning out of a couple of tackles. Bristol still had the upper hand in the scrum and when Nottingham stood up it should have been a penalty to Bristol. However scrum was in fact reset and, astonishingly, it was then a free-kick to the visitors.

Despite this setback, Bristol recovered possession and Marsden jinked nicely to make good ground as time ran out. Nottingham gave away a penalty on their 10 metre line and Roberts punished them to equalise at 15-all.

Nottingham, at last, had a good scrum, but the scrum-half was so surprised that Ovens ripped the ball from him and Bristol drove into the Nottingham half. This time Bristol were awarded a penalty only for Roberts' kick to drift across the face of the posts. Creditably, both sides were looking for the killer blow as time ran out. It was end-to-end stuff, and Roberts had a drop goal effort charged down, perhaps he is effort had been premature. But then it was a penalty to Bristol at the breakdown. Roberts stepped up and held his nerve superbly to win the game the very last kick. 18-15 at the death.