Pre Season goes well

1st try
By David Hibell
August 18 2003

Bristols first game was a great test and exactly what was needed in pre season, and a first win against Newport since 1991, with only a couple of minor injury worries.

Starting Team

Marsden

Stanojevic

Hayward

*Hawker

*Griffiths

*Malone

Hodgson

Hilton (c)

Nelson

*Hobson

*Hunt

*Hodge

Morgan

*El Abd

Styles

 

* 1st team debut

 

Reps

 

*Hook for Hawker

*Billig for Hayward

*A Clarke for Nelson

*N Clarke for Hilton

 

Reps not used

 

Nichols, Thompson, Curtis, Whitcome

 

All Bristol's points were scored in the first half with Chris Morgan opening the scoring on 7 minutes, the conversion missed by Chris Malone who missed a penalty on 17 minutes.  He was successful with his next attempt, a conversion of a fine individual try by Paul Hodgson who kicked intelligently all game.  Bristol's last score came with the second penalty attempt in stoppage time in the first half with Malone again making no mistake. 

 

The Newport coach obviously said the right things to his team as they came out all guns blazing and put Bristol under pressure for the third quarter, two quick tries were scored, both of which were converted on 51 and 55 minutes with a third being denied thanks to some last ditch defensive work.

 

But Bristol survived the onslaught and finished the game attacking as the referee added an agonising amount of injury time on.  It was amusing to note that the Welsh officials were sponsored by Spec Savers.  Those last two sentences are not related by the way! 

 

 

some pictures