 | MATCH SUMMARY Bristol 19 (6)
Try: Robinson
Con: Strange
Pens: Strange 4 Bath 16 (13)
Try: Welsh
Con: Barkley
Pens: Barkley 2
Drop: Malone |
A late score from new signing Lee Robinson sealed a stunning win for newly-promoted Bristol. The home side started well and went ahead after a Jason Strange penalty but Chris Malone's drop and Frikkie Welsh's individual score put Bath 13-3 ahead.
Strange kept his side in the game with three penalties while Bath missed four attempts at goal.
And winger Robinson danced through the Bath defence with six minutes to go to seal a memorable win.
The victory will have sent shockwaves through the Premiership as Bath were strong favourites to overcome their West Country rivals.
Bristol looked out of the game at half-time, despite enjoying the bulk of possession and territory.
They took a 3-0 lead through Strange after seven minutes but Bath were able to take advantage of their mistakes and lack of early organisation.
Inside centre Barkley levelled the score soon afterwards and although he missed another, Malone fired over a drop-goal from just inside the Bristol half to put his side 6-3 ahead.
 Frikkie Welsh scored a fine individual try for Bath in the first half |
Bristol were guilty of turning over plenty of ball and one such error saw Welsh carve his way through the gaps in the home defence to touch down on 26 minutes.
Strange added another three points just before the break while Barkley fired his penalty wide with the last kick of the half.
Barkley made amends at the start of the second period although it was quickly cancelled out by Strange.
Bath looked as if they were happy to settle with what they had and the home crowd began to sense an upset when Barkley and then Malone missed kicks.
Not even the sin-binning of new centre Mark Denney could give Bath a way in and when Strange made the score 16-12 on 68 minutes, the Memorial Ground support began to roar.
Bristol piled forward and Robinson, a summer signing from National League One side Plymouth Albion, broke through five despairing tackles to spark scenes of wild celebration.
Bristol boss Richard Hill:
"I wasn't expecting that, to be honest. It is a dream start, it will really lift the confidence and make my job a lot easier. "The players have made their mark and we have got to prove now that we can do it on a regular basis.
"I thought we had parity up front, and I didn't think there was a lot to choose between the teams."
Bath rugby director John Connolly:
"We had millions of chances to put the game away, but we didn't. "It was a game when we should have put them away. We had a number of half-chances, and we put ourselves in a position to do things, but the forwards were very disappointing.
"Our forwards have to step up to the mark, and in any game of rugby these days, you have got to kick your goals, so that is an issue."
Bristol: Stortoni; Robinson, Higgitt, Contepomi, Going; Strange, Perry; Hilton, Regan, Crompton; Sambucetti, Llewellyn; Salter (capt), Short, Lewis.
Replacements: Denney for Contepomi (35),
A Clarke for Hilton (59), Nelson for Regan (80), Winters for Salter (62), Ward-Smith for Lewis (67).
Not Used: Nicholls, Gray.
Sin Bin: Denney (52).
Bath: Perry; Maddock, Higgins, Barkley, Welsh; Malone, Wood; Barnes, Mears, Bell; Borthwick (capt), Grewcock; Beattie, Scaysbrook, Feaunati.
Replacements: Dixon for Mears (57), Stevens for Bell (32), Fidler for Borthwick (67), Delve for Fea'unati (75), Williams for Best (84).
Not Used: Davis, Best.
Att: 11,768
Referee: David Pearson (RFU)
MMIX
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