Match report: Bath 13-19 Bristol Bears

Bristol Bears delivered a sensational backs to the wall display to complete a league double over their local rivals Bath and record a first victory at The Recreation Ground since 2006.

First-half tries from Chris Vui and Alapati Leiua and a breakaway third from Harry Randall after the break completed the scoring for Pat Lam’s men, but this was a triumph built on a heroic defensive effort, bravely marshalled by captain Steven Luatua.

Two Rhys Priestland penalties, a yellow card to Joe Joyce and Will Chudley’s 66th-minute try ensured a tense finale to a brutal West Country derby, but a courageous Bristol defence stood firm to earn a fourth successive Gallagher Premiership win and strengthen their grip on the top four.

………………………………

Bristol24/7 relies on your support to fund our independent journalism and social impact projects. Become a member and enjoy exclusive perks from just £5 per month.

………………………………

The game was barely five minutes old when the Bears found space out wide, and after Luatua and Morahan had combined, Chris Vui found the strength and reach to dot down for the game’s opening score.

Priestland’s simple penalty got Bath on the scoreboard at the other end, but Bristol had come to play, despite the damp conditions, and soon found their second courtesy of a magical assist from the red-hot Callum Sheedy.

Playing penalty advantage, Sheedy collected Malton’s pulled back pass and ghosted through the Bath defence, before picking out Leiua with a pinpoint kick for a sizzling second.

The hosts soon gained a foothold and piled pressure on the Bristol line, with Joyce paying the price for persistent infringements.

With a numerical advantage, Bath turned down three kickable penalties, in favour of the scrum, but eventually opted to for the posts to allow Priestland to reduce the deficit to six points at half time.

The second half continued in a similar vein, with Bristol unable to exit their 22 and Bath unable to break down a resolute Bristol wall.

It was the 64th minute when the visitors eventually gained some field position, but it was misplaced Bath pass on halfway that gave Bristol their third opening. Luatua scooped up the ball from his bootlaces before delivering the most delicate of offloads to the onrushing Morahan.

The Australian was hauled down twice, first by Homer and then by Webb, but when the ball was recycled left, replacement Randall sniped his way to the line for a try that looked to have killed the game.

But it hadn’t, and Bath offered a timely repost as Priestland galloped through a hole in the Bristol defence and fed Chudley to make it a six-point game once again.

With ten minutes on the clock, Sheedy saw his angled penalty fade across the face of posts, as the visitors searched for the killer blow.

Instead, it was Bath who won a penalty of their own, leaving Burns to kick long downfield for one final push. But with possession secured, the replacement fly half saw his chip ahead dribble over the deadball line – and when randall intercepted a pass just inside the Bath half, Piutau found touch to seal a sensational away win.

Photo by JMP

Read more: Match report: Bristol Bears 13-10 Worcester Warriors