Bristol too strong for injury-hit Nottingham

NOTTINGHAM Rugby put in a valiant effort against former Premiership side Bristol, despite their mounting injury worries, before finally losing 35-11 at the Memorial Stadium.

For half-an-hour, the Green and Whites had much the better of things but a yellow card for talismanic skipper Craig Hammond just before the break proved to be an expensive turning point.

While he was off the field, Bristol ran in two converted tries to finally establish control of a game in which they always looked the stronger outfit.

The Nottingham defence found itself under pressure from the start but did well to hold up the home pack as they drove strongly from three consecutive close-in line-outs in the opening minutes.

Nottingham's first serious attack brought a long-range penalty for Greig Tonks to open the scoring after 12 minutes.

And they were unlucky not to stretch that lead in their next attack as Tom Casson and Jack Cobden both went close.

Tim Taylor also very nearly broke through as Nottingham began to put together an impressive spell, Tonks firing just wide with a second penalty attempt.

But it was the home side who forced the game's first try, although it was almost on the half hour before centre Jack Adams cut through, with Adrian Jarvis adding the conversion.

Still Nottingham continued to press, though, a second penalty from Tonks bringing them back to within a single point.

But after so much good work, Nottingham put themselves under unnecessary pressure when they lost their own line out ball inside their own 22.

Inevitably, Bristol pressed and following Hammond's yellow card, forced a penalty try to lead 14-6 at the break.

Within minutes of the restart, they again breached the short-handed Nottingham defence as winger Dan Norton dived over in the left-hand corner, Jarvis adding the touchline conversion.

Even when Hammond rejoined the action, it was still Bristol in control and a try from prop Mark Irish, again converted by Jarvis, opened up a 22-point gap.

As the game moved into the final quarter, that gap became 29 points as Tom Arscott broke through, Jarvis maintaining his impressive strike rate with another successful conversion.

From that point on, though, it was Nottingham who again took the game to the home side but they found the defence pretty difficult to break through.

A late consolation try from Tim Streather was no less than they deserved but the game finished with the worrying sight of Cobden pulling up with a recurrence of a hamstring injury as he raced out of defence.

Bristol: L. Arscott, T. Arscott, Adams, Fatialofa, Norton, Jarvis, Spice, Irish, Blaney, Crompton, Budgett, Winters, Grieve, Merriman, Montagu. Not Used: Hayes, Thompson, Barry, Pennycook, Shaw, Ashwin, Eves.

Bristol: Tries: Adams, Penalty, Norton, Irish, T. Arscott. Cons: Jarvis 5.

Nottingham: Savage, Cobden, Casson, Tonks, Streather, Taylor, Harrison, Fowkes, Youngs, Du Plessis, Carter, Eggleshaw, Hammond, Sherriff, Baird. Not Used: Marshall, Hayter, Duffey, Buxton, Sammons, Cook, Rowan.

Nottingham: Tries: Streather. Pens: Tonks 2.

Att: 4,784

Ref: Dave Pearson (RFU).