BRISTOL IN PENALTY KICKS AT GOAL SHOCK!

In marked contrast to last weekend Bristol both managed to score several tries and kicked for points.  The bonus point came up early in the second half, after which the try scoring action was all from Rotherham who briefly make the score far from comfortable looking

Bristol kicked of the game in dull and overcast conditions.  A bout of inconclusive kicking followed, terminated only by a poor touch finder from Bristol.  A good, long, lineout throw put Rotherham on the front foot, but Bristol defended well, only to be penalised.  Socino struck the first points of the game for a 0 – 3 lead.

Bristol looked eager to hit back quickly and a series of powerful drives took the home side right up to the opposition goal line.  Rotherham were hard put to stop Bristol powering over.  In fact they could only manage to do so illegally and the referee had no hesitation in, rightly, showing the yellow card to Tampin.  The resulting scrum suffered numerous resets and delays and at least six minutes elapsed before the ball got back into play.  When it did, Redford Pennycook showed great strength as he burrowed over for an unconverted try.  An excellent break from Charlie Amesbury, who stayed on his feet impressively, got Bristol moving forward again.  The home side powered on and the yellow card was shown again when the diving Maddison was adjudged to have deliberately knocked-on.  Lively play from Tristan Roberts saw him dart close from the resulting penalty lineout before the ball was worked left to a three to two overlap and Adam D’Arcy trotted over for another unconverted try.

Rotherham’s woes were compounded when the restart went straight into touch.  However, the scrum saw them awarded a free-kick.  Sadly they were unable to retain possession as they moved forward.  The ball was hacked downfield and Roberts was almost able to collect the ball only for it to be knocked forward just ten metres out.  The respite was brief as the visiting scrum was totally disrupted.  The penalty was quickly taken but Rotherham just managed to get organised in time to stop the try, but Ruki Tipuna picked up from the base of the ruck and dived over for a converted try and a 17 – 3 lead.

Bristol swept from the restart and Roberts kicked another penalty to the corner.  Bristol attempted to shift the ball quickly away from the lineout but the move broke down and the Rotherham defence hacked the ball into the Bristol half.  Amesbury gathered the ball well under great pressure and Ross Johnston galloped back upfield, only to become isolated and be penalised for holding on.  Rotherham worked their way back into the Bristol half and a soft penalty allowed Socino to narrow the gap.  Bristol once more were quickly on the hunt for more points, with Amesbury again to the fore.  Unfortunately both sides started to play some very untidy rugby.  Rotherham gave away a penalty and the decision, to the surprise of many was, to go for the posts.  Roberts was spot on for 20 – 6.  In more typical Bristol fashion, the home side promptly gave away a penalty of their own to wipe out the earlier points.  Not to be outdone Rotherham swiftly returned the favour and Roberts ensured Bristol went in 23 – 9 at half time.

The try scoring bonus point was secured virtually from the kick off with Amesbury showing tremendous pace to score in the left corner.  Roberts converted superbly to take Bristol into a commanding 30 – 9 lead.

At which point Tom Cruse started off on a Mission: Impossible when he carried with immense strength and powered over the Bristol line by the posts for a converted try.  Bristol tightened things up again and sustained pressure allowed Roberts to kick again at the posts for a 33 – 16 lead.

Bristol promptly went back to sleep and poor defending allowed Socino to waltz over for another converted try.  The visitors sensed an unlikely comeback and launched phase after phase of patient attack, gradually pushing Bristol back before a weary-looking Gaston Cortes was yellow-carded for failing to roll away.  Frankly he was looking so tired that he probably couldn’t have rolled away if he had wanted to.  The resulting penalty was well off target, but another soon after took the score to a nerve jangling 33 – 26.

Bristol were looking rather tired generally and a very wayward lineout through permitted Rotherham to take play down to the Bristol 22 only for a clumsy Knock-on to let Bristol off the hook.  Bristol just managed to cling on in defence and eventually managed to claw their way back into Rotherham territory.  Rotherham were penalised as Bristol attacked and replacement Adrian Jarvis struck the ball cleanly between the uprights for 36 – 26.  In doing so he doubled the successful Bristol penalty tally for the season.  Rotherham had a chance late on with a penalty kick to touch inside the Bristol 22, but the home side snaffled the ball and cleared the danger.