Eight-try Bristol deny Newcastle comeback

Gallagher Premiership

Bristol (21) 55

Tries: Oghre, Heward 2, Ravouvou 2, Mata, Marmion, Bailey Cons: Byrne 4, Janse van Rensburg Pens: Byrne

Newcastle (14) 35

Bristol defeated Newcastle 82-33 to win the match-up at Ashton Gate, putting Bristol in second place in the Premiership.

Before Callum Chick and Jamie Blamire’s tries put the Falcons in contention, the Bears took a quick 21-point lead.

Bristol’s lead was only three points after Max Clark and Ben Stevenson cut the gap after a second Kalaveti Ravouvou score, which was untimely.

Bristol were ruthlessly cruel as Viliame Mata, Kieron Marmion, and Diego Bailey scored before Heward added an eighth with the time running red when Newcastle had a man sent to the bin.

As Newcastle approached the one-year anniversary of his arrival in the north east, there was much to be pleased about, despite the fact that they are still without a win in eight games.

At Ashton Gate in April, the Falcons suffered a chastening 85-14 hammering, and there were initial rumors of a similar outcome.

After four minutes, Bristol’s prop Oghre crashed into a driving maul before Heward fumbled up a pass from the Falcons, ducked off, and chased his own kick over.

Max Pepper, a winger who joined Newcastle in place of Adam Radwan, who signed for Leicester this week, appeared to have scored Newcastle’s first try before a TMO check determined that his foot had grazed the touchline.

Heward and Ravouvou sprinted down the pitch in a one-two before the Fijian dived over. Bristol immediately made Newcastle pay.

However, the Falcons were unable to roll over, so Chick eventually put them on the scoreboard from close range, stopping the Bears’ tryline with sustained pressure, before Blamire drove over from the maul to close the gap to seven points.

Rich Lane made a long ball to Ravouvou before scoring the Bears’ final bonus point, which was a long ball.

However, Newcastle came back as Clark drained a kick and dived to the punch for 28-21.

Before Newcastle scored with their best try of the match, which featured a no-look pass from Clark and Alex Hearle’s run that gave Stevenson the lead, Harry Byrne added a penalty, earning the hosts a penalty.

However, when Hearle was given a yellow for a high tackle and Bristol was forced to score four tries in the final ten minutes, the game changed.

Replacements: Capon, Woolmore, Kloska, Luatua, Heenan, Wolstenholme, Elizalde, Bailey.

Newcastle: Obatoyinbo, Pepper, Hearle, Clark, Stevenson, Connon, Stuart, Brocklebank, Blamire, McCalllum, De Chaves, McDonald Seran, Van der Walt, Lockwood, Chick.

Replacements: Fletcher, Rewcastle, De Bruin, Hawkins, Leatherbarrow, Davis, Wilkinson, Spencer.

Sin bin: Hearle (66 mins)