Agen 26-19 Gloucester

Agen (3) 26
Tries: Fonua 2 Cons: Courrent 2 Pens: Courrent 4

Gloucester (13) 19
Tries: Lawson Cons: Robinson Pens: Robinson 4

Nicky Robinson landed four penalties and a conversion for Gloucester

Nicky Robinson's kicking was in vain as Gloucester went down to a controversial last-gasp European Challenge Cup defeat in the South of France against Agen.

Two late penalties by fly-half Robinson for a 14-point haul on the night looked to have won it for the Cherry and Whites with eight minutes left.

But Valentin Courrent levelled it with a penalty, at 19-19 with a minute left.

And, despite appearing to lose control as he crossed the line, Tongan number eight Opeti Fonua's second try won it.

Two Robinson penalties inside three minutes had put Gloucester ahead before Courrent, after scuffing his first two efforts, replied with one of his own.

Scott Lawson's converted 23rd minute try then earned Gloucester a 13-3 half-time lead. But that was cancelled out inside five second-half minutes thanks to a Courrent penalty, followed by the first of Fonua's two tries.

Courrent's boot put Agen in front for the first time, to which Robinson twice responded by landing penalties to kick Gloucester back in front - but the French side, including Robinson's brother Jamie, had the final word.

And Gloucester were not helped by their indiscipline, twice being reduced to 14 men after having two players sin-binned in separate incidents, veteran flanker Peter Buxton and England centre Mike Tindall.

For all his success off the deck, it was a kick from his hands by Robinson that set up Gloucester's first-half try.

His kick to touch set up a perfect platform from which his pack could launch an attack and, after Jim Hamilton collected the lineout, hooker Lawson scampered over from close range to earn that interval lead.

But the tide began to turn when veteran Gloucester flanker Buxton was sin-binned 10 minutes into the second half, handing Courrent a penalty.

It also left the Gloucester pack undermanned, from which Fonua capitalised when he crashed over in the 54th minute.

Courrent then converted to level the scores at 13-13, before trading penalties with Robinson to leave the scores locked with a minute remaining.

But Tindall became the second visiting player sin-binned for a dangerous tackle, leaving Fonua to settle the tie, his controversial try being awarded by Scottish referee Neil Patterson.

After losing their opener, Gloucester's second Challenge Cup Pool 5 game is at Kingsholm next Saturday (16 October, 1500 BST) at home to northern Italian side Rovigo.

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:
"We lost the game from some dull decisions - two yellow cards in the second half - that's what lost us the game, not the referee."

"We just had to dog it out and when you go down to 14 men against a big pack you make it tough on yourselves, that game was there to win easily at 13-3."

"We jumped off script too many times, so I'm hugely disappointed I thought that was a game to take away from home - we lost that game rather than they won it."

Agen: Cazeaux, Vaka, J Robinson, Petre, Kolinisau, Courrent, Bales, Nnomo, Narjissi, Muller, Fa'aoso, Lagrange, Monribot, Fono, Fonua.
Replacements: Moala for Nnomo (54), O'Sullivan for Muller (60), Kouider for Monribot (60), Lassale for Fono (68). Not Used: Mach, Machenaud, Barnard, Pelesasa.

Gloucester: Morgan, Sharples, Trinder, Tindall, Voyce, N Robinson, Lewis, Dickinson, S Lawson, Doran-Jones, Attwood, Hamilton, Buxton, Qera, Narraway.
Replacements: Azam for Lawson (60), James for Attwood (30). Not Used: Wood, Capdevielle, Strokosch, Pasqualin, Burns, Simpson-Daniel.

Referee: Neil Patterson (Scotland).