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NEWCASTLE RED BULLS 19 BRISTOL BEARS 52
Bristol Bears took all five Gallagher PREM points from Friday’s clash at Kingston Park Stadium, with Newcastle Red Bulls still searching for their second league win of the season.
The West Country side led 21-5 at the break and drew first blood with two tries either side of the ten-minute mark, the first of which was scored by Rich Lane after a chip-and-chase from ex-Newcastle centre Matias Moroni.
Replacement Kalaveti Ravouvou quickly followed up with number two when he sped down the right just a minute after coming on – Tom Jordan converting both scores.
But the Red Bulls were not lying down, and after a spell of concerted pressure saw them kicking a penalty to the corner, Adam Brocklebank came up with the try on 21 minutes from a pick-and-go down the right.
Reuben Parsons kept Newcastle on the front foot with a string of carries and jackal turnovers, but Bristol resumed their dominance of the scoreboard when Jordan scampered between the posts from 20 metres out, converting his own try.
Wade’s evasive running threatened to get the home side into the game when he stepped three defenders inside his own half to break free, but the scoring pass just would not come.
Another close shave on 35 minutes saw Alex Hearle running from 22 to 22 on the intercept, only for the ball to be turned over at the next ruck as the Bears held on to their 21-5 lead at half-time.
They extended that advantage just two minutes after the resumption when Noah Heward ran in down the left for their bonus-point try, and rapidly followed it with their fifth when Moroni stepped the last man to score in the same corner.
Fly-half Ben Healy was brought on for the last 35 minutes as the Red Bulls searched for answers, and the Scotland international created a try almost instantly when his cross-field kick to the right corner picked out Wade for a score.
Healy then slotted the touchline conversion to get the 7,808-strong crowd off their feet once more, but the feelgood factor was short-lived when Benhard Janse van Rensburg barge down the front door to add another converted try for the Bears.
Josh Hodge restored some optimism with his first home try for the club, with the recent returnee hitting a nice line from five metres out after Amanaki Mafi had picked from the scrum base.
Hodge converted his own score from out on the left, but Bristol hit back late on when a looping pass to the right freed Van Rensburg for his second try of the night, followed at the death with a Harry Thacker score from a driving maul.
Newcastle Red Bulls: 15 Josh Hodge, 14 Christian Wade, 13 Alex Hearle, 12 Rhys Beeckmans, 11 Elliott Obatoyinbo, 10 Brett Connon, 9 James Elliott (Sam Stuart, 60); 1 Adam Brocklebank (Jamie Clark, 70), 2 Ollie Fletcher (Samson Adejimi, 67), 3 Murray McCallum (Micky Rewcastle, 53), 4 Jamie Hodgson, 5 Finn Baker (John Hawkins, 43), 6 Freddie Clarke, 7 Tom Christie (captain), 8 Reuben Parsons (George Bolam, 60).
Scorers - Tries: Adam Brocklebank, Christian Wade, Josh Hodge. Conversions: Ben Healy, Josh Hodge.
Bristol Bears: 15 Rich Lane (Kalaveti Ravouvou, 10), 14 Noah Heward (James Williams, 46), 13 Matias Moroni, 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 Tom Jordan, 9 Harry Randall; 1 Ellis Genge (Jake Woolmore, 53), 2 Gabriel Oghre (Harry Thacker, 29), 3 George Kloska (Max Lahiff, 52), 4 James Dun, 5 George Taylor, 6 Joe Owen, 7 Fitz Harding (captain), 8 Benjamin Grondona (Luka Ivanishvili, 29).
Scorers - Tries: Rich Lane, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Tom Jordan, Noah Heward, Matias Moroni, Benhard Janse van Rensburg 2, Harry Thacker. Conversions: Tom Jordan 4, James Williams 2.
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe. Attendance: 7,808.
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