Gloucester 27-10 Bristol Bears: Visitors slip to sixth loss from nine matches as the Cherry and Whites move into Premiership top four with West Country derby win at Kingsholm
- Gloucester triumphed in a 27-10 win with a bonus point over Bristol at Kingsholm
- The dominant win sees the West County side leapfrog Northampton into fourth
- Ex-Cherry and White boy Henry Purdy scored for Bristol but they fell short again
- George Skivington’s side condemned Bristol to their sixth defeat in nine games
Bristol Bears were mauled into submission by Gloucester, suffering a worrying sixth defeat from nine as their West Country rivals moved into the top four.
Two tries from driving lineouts, one when Mark Atkinson fed Chris Harris with a chip through and the fourth as Charlie Chapman sprinted clear, was enough for Gloucester at Kingsholm.
Bristol scored via Cherry and White old-boy Henry Purdy, but once again fell short – last year’s table-toppers shockingly short this season so far.
Gloucester beat Bristol Bears in 27-10 mauling at Kingsholm on Friday in the Premiership
Ex-Cherry and White boy Henry Purdy (L) scored for Bristol but Pat Lam’s side fell short again
Man of the match, Gloucester’s Ruan Ackermann said: ‘That was really special. Every match and every week we’re getting closer.
‘I know how much this means to the fans, it was extra motivation for us.’
A pair of penalties – for Callum Sheedy and Adam Hastings – was all both could manage for 38 minutes, until Gloucester hooker Jack Singleton bundled over from a maul just before half-time.
Chris Harris scored the second try for George Skivington’s side after Mark Atkinson’s chip
Charlie Chapman crossed the line after sprinting clear to score the hosts’ fourth try
Bristol thought they had held it up but it was awarded. Hastings shanked his conversion attempt, though.
Fijian superstar Semi Radradra added much to the Bears’ attack when coming on at half-time and within four minutes they scored, Sheedy cross-kicking for Purdy with the bounce on the plastic pitch bamboozling the floundering Louis Rees-Zammit.
But Atkinson grubbered through for Lion Harris, Hastings converted the try and Gloucester regained a lead which they extended with a penalty try from another rapid rolling maul.
Bristol flanker Dan Thomas was sin-binned for pulling it down illegally, and despite having much of the late possession Gloucester clawed them in with Chapman racing in in the last minute for their bonus-point score as Bears’ grizzly start continued.