 | MATCH SUMMARY London Irish 24 (21)
Tries: Hodgson 2
Pens: Everitt 3
Drops: Everitt
Cons: Everitt Bristol 21 (9)
Tries: Lima
Pens: Strange 5
Cons: Strange |
London Irish scrum-half Paul Hodgson scored two tries to condemn his former club Bristol to defeat. The sides were locked together at 6-6 when Hodgson struck twice in five minutes to give the Exiles the lead.
Two Jason Strange penalties cut the gap to six points before Barry Everitt, who kicked 14 points in all, slotted a third penalty for the Exiles.
A late Brian Lima try meant some nervous late moments for the hosts but they held on to take the points.
After 15 minutes Bristol led 6-3 courtesy of two Strange penalties to one from Everitt, but the Exiles' fly-half tied things up with a drop goal.
Hodgson then got on the end of an 80-metre move to score his first try and when he went over for his second, converted by Everitt, the hosts led 18-6 with half-time approaching.
A penalty apiece maintained the 12-point advantage but in the second half Strange, who ended with 17 points, landed two further penalties to make it 21-15.
Everitt's third penalty, a superb 50-metre effort, gave Irish breathing space, until Lima's converted try ensured an unexpectedly fraught few closing minutes for the hosts.
London Irish boss Brian Smith:
"It wasn't a flash performance by any stretch of the imagination, but we will take the result.
"It wasn't a good performance, but you have got to put it into context.
"We were bashed up at Sale last week, which knocked our confidence, and we were probably a bit conservative in this one."
Bristol head coach Richard Hill:
"We were awful in the first half. We gave away too many free-kicks and penalties, and we lost too much ball in contact.
"But the players pulled themselves together in the second half.
"Heads could have gone down, yet we fought back and with a bit more composure we could have won the game."
London Irish: Armitage, Staniforth, Penney, Catt, Bishop, Everitt, Hodgson, Hatley, Flavin, Hardwick, Casey, Roche, Magne, Dawson, Murphy.
Replacements: Storey for Staniforth (13), Franze for Catt (63), Willis for Hodgson (73), Paice for Flavin (73), Collins for Hardwick (63), Strudwick for Roche (73), Gustard for Murphy (56).
Sin Bin: Magne (52).
Bristol: Stortoni, Robinson, Lima, Contepomi, Going, Strange, Rauluni, Hilton, Nelson, Crompton, Sambucetti, Llewellyn, Salter, Short, Lewis.
Replacements: Higgitt for Robinson (49), Gray for Going (80), Ward-Smith for Short (40). Not Used: Irish, N. Clarke, Winters, Nicholls.
Att: 6,957
Referee: Roy Maybank (Kent)
MMIX
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