An unfamiliar Bristol lineup shocked Saracens

1st ZP One start
By Duncan Wood
May 12 2002

Dean Ryan has spoken at length recently about how his young team needs to learn how to close out tight matches. Well, his young team certainly did some growing up today as they nicked a late victory at Saracens.

Bristol went into this game fielding an unfamiliar looking lineup as injuries took their toll and Dean Ryan sought to rest other players with half an eye on the playoffs. Saracens, on the other hand, were pretty much at full strength.

Sarries struck early when, from a scrum deep in the Bristol 22, Kyran Bracken whipped out a pass to Luke Smith who stepped inside the challenge of Matt Carrington and managed to touch down despite the challenge of Lee Best. The conversion made it 7-0 and Smith extended the lead on 11 minutes with a penalty.

However, Bristol fought back 3 minutes later when Garath Archer set up good ball on the halfway line. A long miss pass put Lee Best in space and he drew the defence before putting Alex Cadwallader in at the corner.

Matt Carrington missed the conversion but he made amends 5 minutes later with a well struck penalty from out on the right to reduce the gap to just two points.

Bristol were now playing well but blew the chance to take the lead by wasting two great chances. Firstly, Jamie Williams spurned an overlap outside him by stepping inside and the opportunity was lost. Then Saul Nelson wasted a 5 metre lineout by completely overthrowing Jim Brownrigg at the tail.

Bristol were made to regret the missed chances when Matt Carrington tried to find Jason Little with miss pass but only succeeded in being picked off by Tom Shanklin who ran it back from halfway for the score. Smith's conversion made it 25-8.

There were no more scores in the last 15 minutes of the first half but Bristol suffered injuries to Garath Archer who was replaced by Alex Brown and Alex Cadwallader who was replaced by Phil Christophers.

Bristol had good reason to enter the second half in good spirits as they really deserved to be closer but Luke Smith drew first blood. The Springbok, who kicked Sarries to victory at the Memorial Stadium back in December, dropped a smart goal on 42 minutes to make it 20-8.

However, this unlikely looking Bristol lineup weren't set to roll over just yet. Matt Carrington reduced the lead with a penalty on 46 minutes and a minute later converted a try by Brendon Daniel.

Daniel had been quoted in Friday's Evening Post as how desperate he was to get his first score in Bristol colours and it would have been a sweet moment for him to get it against one of his former clubs. The conversion made it 20-18 with 30 minutes to play.

Considering how quickly the scores had been coming, there now followed a period of relative calm although both kickers missed penalty attempts. But then Lee Best continued his recent superb form and gave Bristol real hope by going over for a try which was converted by Carrington to give Bristol a 25-20 lead with 18 minutes to go.

But that man Smith started to prove himself to be a real nuisance as far as Bristol were concerned and slotted a penalty two minutes later to reduce the gap to 25-23 and then another on 75 minutes to edge Sarries into lead.

Cometh the hour, cometh the man! Bristol brought on ace Argentinian fly half Felipe Contepomi for the last few minutes and he didn't let Dean Ryan down. A penalty was awarded to Bristol by Ashley Rowden and Contepomi slotted the vital kick to give Bristol a thoroughly deserved victory.

Dean took the opportunity to rest some players and give some others a chance to impress. Those who got a rare start did everything asked of them and the win will give Bristol great heart going into the playoffs.