Unbeaten Bristol are too strong for Saints

BRISTOL Bears showed their bite as they bagged a spirited win at Northampton Saints yesterday

- TOM VICKERS

The Bears had fallen 19-8 down during the first half, and they were also hit by a yellow card for Gabriel Ibitoye, who was punished for a deliberate knock-on. But, despite conceding in the early part of that sin-bin period, the Bears rallied and when the wing returned, they found a way to mount a late charge at the end of the first half.

Callum Sheedy notched a penalty before Magnus Bradbury made his way over for his second try from the final play of the first period.

Sheedy’s successful conversion cut the gap to a single point, leaving the Saints scratching their heads as to how they were just a point up at the end of a half they largely controlled.

And despite Tommy Freeman’s bonus-point score stretching the lead to six points in the formative stages of the second half, Bristol battled on and eventually found a and eventually found a way to lead.