Premiership: Bristol 21-23 Harlequins - Jarrod Evans holds nerve to edge Quins to win at Bears
- Published
Jarrod Evans contributed 13 points in Harlequins' narrow win
Gallagher Premiership |
|---|
Bristol: (11) 21 |
Tries: Vakatawa, Thacker; Pens: Sheedy 3 Cons: Sheedy |
Harlequins: (13) 23 |
Tries: Hammond 2 Pens: Evans 3 Cons: Evans 2 |
Jarrod Evans' penalty with 90 seconds remaining saw Harlequins edge past Bristol at a very wet Ashton Gate.
Harlequins were slipping from the game when they trailed 21-20 with minutes remaining but a dangerous tackle led to Evans' winning kick from 45 metres.
Quins led 20-11 with two tries from George Hammond either side of Virimi Vakatawa's first try for Bristol.
But the hosts replied again, through hooker Harry Thacker, and Callum Sheedy's penalty almost won the game.
It looked like being the winning score with Bristol dominating the final half hour but Jake Heenan's high tackle gave Quins the chance to steal the game.
It was a first defeat of the season for Bristol but a second victory for Harlequins, having beaten Exeter last weekend.
The visitors controlled the opening quarter and built up a 13-0 lead with Evans' boot and lock Hammond being driven over.
Sheedy got Bristol on the board from the tee before a slick first-phase move brought them their first try.
From a dominant scrum, a flat pass sent inside-centre Bernhard Janse van Rensberg through a hole and his pass put his midfield partner Vakatawa over to trim the deficit to 13-11 at half-time.
Harlequins launched the first attack of the second half and kicked a penalty into the Bristol 22 and they drove for the line before Hammond scored his second try of the game.
Bristol responded once more, with a huge stroke of fortune as a loose pass struck Thacker on the boot, who managed to kick the ball towards the line, chase, collect and score.
The hosts then went ahead for the first time as a scrum penalty was knocked over by Sheedy but it wasn't quite enough for a third win from three.
Harlequins assistant coach Danny Wilson:
"It is really pleasing to win at a difficult place in non-Quins conditions and playing in a different style of rugby.
"We started brightly, then the weather changed and we immediately gave away five penalties in that second quarter.
"There was a clear momentum change, but unlike previous weeks, we came out of the traps quickly in the second half to get a try and then stay in the match."
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol:
"It's one of those where we handed over the game with our discipline and mistakes and that's probably what's most disappointing.
"I don't doubt effort because we hung in there but we created chances and then turned the ball over.
"We got ourselves ahead but then made mistakes that gave them field position so we only have ourselves to blame."
Bristol: Lane; Heward, Vakatawa, Janse Van Rensburg, Ibitoye, Sheedy; Randall; Woolmore, Thacker Lahiff; Dun; Batley; Harding, D. Thomas, Bradbury.
Replacements: Capon, Grahamslaw, Kloska, Caulfield, Heenan, Marmion, Williams, O'Connor.
Harlequins: David; T. Green, Beard, Anyanwu, Lynagh, J. Evans, Porter; Baxter, Riley, Collier; Launchbury, Hammond; Kenningham, W. Evans, Dombrandt.
Replacements: Jibulu, Els, Kerrod, Lamb, Chisholm, M. Green,Edwards, Bradley.
Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe (RFU)