BRIS SLIP TO NARROW DEFEAT IN SOLE PRESEASON MATCH

A sparse crowd saw an entertaining, if unedifying, preseason workout.  Blues dominated the first half, Bristol did much the same in the second.  Personally I think clubs have a bit of a cheek charging spectators to see what was a glorified contact training session.  Bristol looked sharp enough once something approaching a first team got on the pitch but Blues were just that bit more organised, particularly defensively.

Blues started at terrific pace with two excellent tries in the space of five minutes; Summerhill and Fish slicing open the defence.  With just a few moments of the whistle a fine break from Isaacs saw him through a largely absent defence before offloading to Summerhill. Soon after Gareth Davies broke clear before passing to Fish and a converted try that made it 0 – 14.

Bristol did manage a riposte when trialist Tom Morgan, brother of Matthew, was driven over after Williams was sin-binned.  But the visitors went further in front when Owen Davies went in out left to take his side into a thoroughly deserved 5 – 21 lead at half time.

Bristol looked a different team in the second half, largely because it was a different team in the second half.    The pack, in particular, was transformed.  First Chris Brooker went over from a lineout and then, a penalty despatched to touch, Olly Robinson added to his impressive try to game ratio.

And just like that Bristol were right back in the match at 19 -21.  Cardiff then handed the advantage to Bristol when Lane was shown yellow for a deliberate knock-on.  A quickly taken penalty and good footwork from Mitch Eadie saw him in for the try that took Bristol in front at 26 – 21.

The game swung back Blues’ way as Tavis Knoyle showed his power and skill to touch down.  They extended the lead to 31-26, after Mark Sorenson was yellow carded for a late tackle and, despite desperate efforts from Bristol, Cardiff Blues held on for the win.