Premiership Rugby Cup: Ealing upset Bristol Bears 28-12 at Ashton Gate
- Published
Steven Shingler's 13-point haul helped Ealing continue their winning start in the Premiership Rugby Cup, but Bristol have lost their opening two games
Ealing Trailfinders registered their second upset in the Premiership Rugby Cup as the Championship club won 28-12 at Bristol Bears.
The Bears took an early lead through a converted try from debutant scrum-half Kieran Marmion but Ealing quickly replied through Rayn Smid, who scored in the corner.
Centre James Williams restored Bristol's seven-point lead but it was 12-12 at the break at Ashton Gate after Nathan Earle crossed and Steven Shingler added the extras.
Hooker Matt Cornish gave the Trailfinders the lead nine minutes after the restart from a rolling maul and Shingler followed the conversion with a long-range penalty to stretch his side's advantage to 10 points with just over half an hour remaining.
Ealing could not find a fourth score, which would have secured a bonus point, but two late penalties allowed Shingler to make the game safe as the fly-half took his personal tally to 13 points.
The west Londoners, who had beaten Northampton Saints 48-22 in their opening game, are second in Pool D, a point behind fellow second-tier side Doncaster.
Bristol had lost their first match 75-0 against Exeter Chiefs, when director of rugby Pat Lam named the Premiership club's youngest ever matchday squad and starting XV.
The top side in each of the competition's four pools will make the semi-finals in early February, with the final scheduled for the following month.