Capital Gains

last year
By David Hibell
September 22 2004

The 1st home game of the season sees Bristol break the hoodoo that London Welsh had over them last year. Richard Hill fielded a team with one change to the starting line up from last weeks team that tasted victory at Penzance, Jim Brownrigg starting at number 8 in place of Richard Martin-Redman.

Matt Salter had the perfect start for his tenure at captain last week, and rounded off his 100th appearance with a fine performance to lead the team to victory over a London Welsh team that defended well.

Jim Brownrigg was outstanding in the loose stealing line out bal all through the match and it leaves the coach with a hard selection decision to make for next weeks match.

The forwards were disrupting the visitors line out straight from the off stealing the first line out to gain posession. Unfortunately a long range penalty attempt from Jason Strange was pulled left, buton the plus side it meant one less play of "It's Over" Jason's choice of music for his scores.

Pugh had the chance to put the Dragons ahead on four minutes buthis penalty hit the bar. Welsh won their line out from the clearance and were awarded another penalty which they kiscked to touch gaining ten yards. A second successive line out win for Welsh saw them awarded a futher penalty which was pushed right.

Surprisingly Welsh actually had more penalties awarded against them than Bristol did, most people I spoke to thought it the other way round, but most of London Welshes were in the first half and referee Beddow did not make it clear what all of them were for whereas most people thought that Welsh were lucky not to concede more.

The first bit of enterprise featured Jason Strange cleverly delaying his pass to the wing and Bristol were able to press deep into the Welsh defence. Mr Beddow awarded a penalty and Roy boomed over the West Stand (problems with the centenary side PA) as Bristol went into a 3-0 lead.

Pugh, the Welsh flyhalf, clearly hadn't brought his kicking boots as the restart kick was short and he missed touch from the penalty awarded at the resulting scrum. However Bristols' ball retention was poor and Welsh were awarded a further penalty which was successfully cleared to touch. Bristol won the resulting line out and were able to clear to London Welshes half.

The forwards got a shove on from the line out win and drove the Welsh pack back five yards before a cross field kick to touch. Brownrigg sotle the line out again but scrappy play saw Welsh regain possession, pressure from the Bristol players saw the attempted cleasrance kick charged sown but Welsh were able to clear as Bristol were penalised for going in round the side in the ensuing maul.

A Sam Cox break down the right wing following a further line out steal was rewarded with a Jason Strange penalty to put Bristol into a 6-0 lead and they looked to increase it from the restart but a knock on was given against Ross Blake when the ball seemed to be knocked out of his hand.

the Dragons mounted their first meaningfull attack next but Bristol were able to keep them out and Welsh eventually knocked on. From further line out ball won on the Welsh throw Cox burst through the middle and a floated pass into space in front of Sean Marsden saw the full back run onto the ball atpace but Welsh were able to shepperd him into touch.

Bristol kept the pressureon the Welsh line and loked to have crossed for a score but Ollie Kohn obstructed a Welsh tackler and the penalty was awarded for crossing. Bristol soon won the ball back and again pressed for the first try with Marco dwon one wing and then Luke down the other, cutting back inside to look for the cover before the ball was forced out to touch.

Bristol kept the pressure on but Welsh were able to take the lead when J Strong on the right wing was able to intercept a looping pass to run clear under the posts to give Pugh the simplest of conversions.

Welsh changed the fly half and left winger during half time, but Bristol were first ont he attack with a break from Jason Strange with Jim Brownrigg in support knocking on just short of the line under pressure from the Welsh defence.

It was Welsh that were to score first nthe half though with a simple run in on an overlap on the left wing, though the replacement fly half was unable to convert to give Welsh a 6-12 lead.

With the Welsh defence still having to do most of the work, Richard Hill brought some fresh legs on with Rik Martin-Redman coming on for Ollie Hodge, Jim Brownrigg moving to the second row, Welsh too had to make a substitution when their number 8 was stretchered off.

Jason Strange kept the scoreboard ticking along with a penalty on 20 minutes to bring the score to 9-12 and Bristol were awarded a penalty in their own half from the restart. After a series of drives Jason Strange slotted the drop goal over from the resulting 22 to bring Bristol back level.

A very effective rolling maul took play back to half way and Bristol were awarded a penalty on the half way line which was pushed just right. Welsh kicked deep and hada period of play in the Bristol half but gave away a penalty. RMR won the line out and Matt salter drove the ball up the middle before it was worked to Adam Billig to try up the right. Welsh infringed illegally and Jim Brownrigg winning the line out was quickly up in support of Joe El-Abd. Joe was able to get the ball away to Jim who toucjed down for Bristols' first try which Jason Strange converted.

Chris Morgan came on for Ollie Kohn with RMR moving to the second row with six minutes of standard time to go andLondon Welsh pressed on again, a forward pass thwarting the efforts of Strong to add to his tally.

A raking clearance kick was knocked into touch by Meenan at full back for Welsh, Bristol won the line out but the ball was knocked on, however good Bristol pressure forced a Welsh handling error. Jonathan Pritchard came on to replace Richard Hil's man of the match Sam cox after a Strange penalty on 83 minutes and Sean Marsden a drop goal on the stroke of full time to make the final score 25-12.