BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Bristol snatch late draw

Bristol 32-32 London Irish

Shane Drahm could have won the game for Bristol
Drahm could have won the game for Bristol

An injury-time try by substitute hooker Saul Nelson helped move Bristol off the bottom of the Zurich Premiership table after a draw against London Irish.

Bristol also benefitted from a penalty try and went over through Brendon Daniel and Shane Drahm, who kicked 12 points.

For Irish, Barry Everitt stroked over 22 points, including the conversions of tries by centre Nick Burrows and flanker Declan Danaher.

The draw saw Bristol end their two-month spell at the foot of the table and now Irish replace them on points difference.

But it could have been even better for Bristol after fly-half Drahm saw his touchline conversion attempt drift just past the post.

Irish, though, had their chances and Danaher's 76th-minute touchdown put them ahead for the first time since they relinquished a 19-14 interval advantage.

We dominated their line-out and the scrums, but we didn't have the upper hand in open play

London Irish rugby director Conor O'Shea

And when Everitt landed a 78th-minute penalty, the visitors looked to have done enough.

But Bristol hit back magnificently for Nelson to dive over out wide and clinch a try-scoring bonus point on top of the two points guaranteed for a draw.

Irish made the early running as Everitt kicked two penalties inside 10 minutes.

Bristol's response was swift when wing Brendon Daniel skipped through a weak Pieter Rossouw tackle for a try which Drahm converted.

Everitt restored Irish's lead through another penalty, only for Bristol to gain a penalty try.

We did some stupid things but at least we are off the bottom

Bristol coach Peter Thorburn

Although Bristol had their Argentine prop Emiliano Bergamaschi sin-binned for not rolling away from the tackle, it took Irish until first-half injury-time to take charge.

Everitt added another penalty while Burrows' try late in the half helped Irish take a five-point interval lead.

The second period was equally frantic with Drahm's 10 points ensuring that Bristol stayed ahead going into the final quarter.

Another Everitt penalty gave Irish hope and Danaher's late try appeared to seal the win.

But Nelson's moment of glory ensured a share of the spoils.

Bristol: Best, Daniel, Higgins, Gibson, Christophers, Drahm, Richards, E. Bergamaschi, Johnstone, Crompton, Archer, A. Brown, Salter, Short, Oakley. Replacements: Skuse, S. Morgan, Sturnham, Nelson, Carrington, Rees, Hodgson.

London Irish: Horak, Sackey, Burrows, Venter, Rossouw, Everitt, Edwards, Worsley, Drotske, Hardwick, Strudwick, Kennedy, Gustard, Danaher, Sheasby. Replacements: Barrett, Mapletoft, Cockle, Flavin, Delaney, Hatley, Durant.

Referee: Robin Goodliffe (Sheffield).


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