Gloucester (25) 39
Tries: Morgan, Buxton 2, Brown, Lamb Cons: Lamb 4 Pens: Lamb Drop-goals: Lamb

Bristol (3) 10
Try: Lemi Con: Barnes Pen: Jarvis

By James Standley

Olly Morgan sent Gloucester on their way with a cracking try at Kingsholm

Gloucester climbed to second in the Premiership table with a bonus-point victory in the West country derby against rock bottom Bristol.

Olly Morgan opened the scoring before Peter Buxton twice went over to claim his first try double for Gloucester.

Ryan Lamb added 10 points with the boot and Gloucester led 25-3 at half-time.

Alex Brown and Lamb scored further tries and although David Lemi grabbed a late consolation, Gloucester are up to their highest position all season.

Gloucester made a slow start to the campaign as they struggled to get to grips with the Experimental Law Variations, but recently they have shown signs of rediscovering the flowing style of the past few seasons.

And although they went off the boil after the break, in the first half they were at their fluid best and were far too quick and inventive for lumbering Bristol, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Both sides kicked an early penalty, through Lamb and Adrian Jarvis, before the hosts went over for the first try of the night.

It was a fine finish from Morgan, but the home side enjoyed a large slice of luck in the build-up.

Young scrum-half Dave Lewis, playing just his second Premiership game, made the initial break after a well worked line-out and although his attempted long pass to Iain Balshaw drifted forward, the referee let play continue.

Bristol survived the initial surge but when the Cherry and Whites switched possession to the left Morgan sliced through the defence down the outside centre channel before stepping inside the cover and diving over with two defenders hanging off him.

Lamb added the conversion and the hosts were on their way.

Bristol could have trimmed the gap but Jarvis missed a kickable penalty and they soon shipped their second try, with the 19-year-old Lewis once again heavily involved.

This time they sprung the scrum-half round the front of a line-out and although he was halted by Luke Arscott, the 18 stone Buxton came thundering up in support before battering through a couple of despairing tackles to score from 10 metres out.

Lamb again converted before slotting a crisp drop-goal and the hosts extended their lead before the break.

Buxton finished off a sweeping move in the right-hand corner and although Lamb could not convert Gloucester were out of sight at half-time at 25-3.

Bristol managed to briefly up their game after the restart but Gloucester regained the initiative and secured a try bonus point when the 6ft 7in Brown stretched over after some fine off-loading out of the tackle had scattered the Bristol defence.

Lamb then poached an interception try and added both conversions to give the hosts a 39-3 lead.

Lemi exploded through a crowd of defenders to score a converted try as Bristol enjoyed the better of the closing stages but it was little consolation for the visitors as Gloucester secured the West country bragging rights.

Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan:
"For 50 or 60 minutes, we were excellent and they (Bristol) did not have an answer to it. It was a crucial time.

"Playing a side like Bristol, you have to be ahead after 60 minutes and, if you have not got a good lead, you have not shaken them off.

"Bristol are a tough side around the contact area and it looked like they worked on that for this game."

Bristol head coach Richard Hill:
"They were very good and every time they got within scoring distance, they scored.

"If they have not been in form before this match, they were today.

"We have to draw a line under this one because last year we lost 27-0 here and then won our next match."

Gloucester: Morgan; Balshaw, Tindall, Allen, Watkins; Lamb, Lewis; Wood, Azam, Forster, James, Brown, Buxton, Satala, Narraway.

Replacements: Vainikolo for Morgan (40), Barkley for Allen (58), Pasqualin for Lewis (69), Titterrell for Azam (58), Young for Forster (65), Eustace for James (58), S. Lawson for Narraway (65).

Sin Bin: Vainikolo (74).

Bristol: L Arscott; T Arscott, Brew, Barnes, Lemi; Jarvis, Beveridge; Clarke, Regan, Crompton, Winters, Sidoli, To'oala, El Abd, Ward-Smith.

Replacements: Robinson for L Arscott (58), Eves for Jarvis (58), Perry for Beveridge (41), Linklater for Regan (58), Bracken for Crompton (65), Sambucetti for Winters (65), Grieve for To'oala (65).

Att: 15,297

Ref: Andrew Small (RFU).

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