Two tries from skipper Jason Little steered Bristol to their first league win
of the season as they mounted a second half rally to condemn Harlequins to their
second home defeat in a row.
Last week both sides lost their opening games in the Premiership in front of
their own supporters as Quins suffered a similar fate on Saturday to expose pre-season
hopes of a table-top challenge.
Bristol were given a pre-match boost with the news that Argentine
international scrum-half Agustin Pichot had now received his British residency
qualification.
This meant that his fellow Puma Felipe Contepomi could be added to the
replacements' bench as one of the overseas players with Little occupying the
other berth.
The visitors made two changes in their starting line-up with Neil McCarthy
coming in at hooker while Jim Brownrigg was recalled from his loan period with
Cardiff to play at openside flanker.
Lions hooker Keith Wood was making his first start of the season for Quins,
Adrian Olver came in at tight-head prop, Bill Davison at lock and summer signing
Scott Bemand made his debut at scrum-half.
Quins took the lead in the opening minute with fly-half Paul Burke landing a
22-metre penalty against one of his former clubs.
But their first try scoring opportunity went to ground as Burke palmed the
ball to Davison.
The visitors came close to scoring a try on a couple of occasions with
blindside flanker Craig Short and fly-half Shane Drahm both stopped short of the
line.
But Quins quickly pushed Bristol back into their own half with Burke powering
over.
The former Irish international added the conversion and landed a 35-metre
penalty following an illegal tackle.
But on the half hour centre Andrew Higgins made the break to set up Bristol's
first try.
The ball was fed through Pichot and Short who set number eight Ben Sturnham
away on a 22-metre dash for the line. Drahm added the conversion and a 25 metre
penalty from in front of the posts five minutes for the interval.
But Quins went into the break with a 10-point lead when England winger Dan
Luger took Jason Leonard's scoring pass.
Drahm landed two quick penalties to give Bristol hope after the interval, and
when he also added the extras to Little's brace, the visitors held a winning
advantage.
Quins responded as Nick Greenstock collected Burke's chip to score but Drahm
landed another long range penalty to keep Bristol ahead.
Replacement flanker Matt Salter scored the visitors' fourth try to earn a
vital bonus point.
It was another disastrous day for Harlequins, but they did manage a
consolation score after Pichot had been sin-binned, the subsequent bonus point
their first of an already-troubled campaign.
Teams:
Harlequins: Leonard, Wood, Olver, Morgan, Davison, Winters,
Sanderson, Diprose, Bemand, Burke, Luger, Greenstock, Burrows,
Moore, Gollings.
Replacements: Codling for Davison (58),
Fuga for Sanderson (72), Alesbrook for Diprose (65),
Mapletoft for Greenstock (61), M. Powell for Burrows (80),
Bell for Gollings (61).
Not Used: Dawson.
Bristol: Johnstone, McCarthy, White, Archer, A. Brown,
Brownrigg, Short, Sturnham, Pichot, Drahm, Christophers,
Little, Higgins, Rees, Carrington, S. Brown.
Replacements: Sheridan for A. Brown (61),
Salter for Brownrigg (67), S. Brown for Higgins (51),
Blake for S. Brown (80).
Not Used: Nelson, Crompton, Contepomi.
Sin Bin: Pichot (80).
Att: 5,220
Ref: Steve Leyshon (RFU).
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