Bristol Shoguns moved up to seventh place in the Premiership with their first league win of the year while Harlequins continue to search for their first away victory.

Both sides secured a try-scoring bonus as Bristol ran in six tries to Quins' five, with the visitors also picking up a bonus point for losing by seven points to keep them in eighth place in the table.

Shoguns head coach Peter Thorburn named Saul Nelson at hooker with Paul Johnstone starting from the bench. Former Quins utility back Jamie Williams faced his old club and continued at full-back while number eight Ross Beattie passed a late fitness test.

Quins gave debuts to former Ireland A centre Mel Deane, on loan from Sale Sharks until the end of the season, and scrum-half Billy Fulton. Another loan player, Ceri Jones, was among the replacements.

There was a minute's silence before the match in memory of Quins scrum-half Nick Duncombe, whose sudden death has shocked English rugby.

But when the action began, Bristol took the lead after just three minutes when Williams took a high ball into a maul. Scrum-half Agustin Pichot broke from the base and sprinted 40 metres to the line to score by the posts.

Fly-half Felipe Contepomi added the conversion before former Bristol and Ireland fly-half Paul Burke got Quins onto the scoresheet with a 15-metre penalty. But Bristol stretched their lead further with two more Contepomi penalties.

Shoguns kept the visitors pinned back in their own half and scored a second try just before the end of the first quarter. Saul Nelson found Matt Salter in the middle of the line-out then the flanker ran round the front to return the pass and sprint 20 metres to score in the corner.

Contepomi was off the mark with his conversion attempt but on the half hour added his fourth penalty from 30 metres out.

Five minutes before the interval Billy Fulton came close to scoring on his debut after a break by Deane and right wing Dan Luger,but Bristol cleared their line briefly from a turn-over ball.

Quins were soon back on the attack and Burke chipped through, Williams failed to collect cleanly over his own try-line and England wing Luger was there to touchdown but Burke failed with the conversion.

Bristol scored their third try on the stroke of half-time, again from a line-out. Garath Archer caught the ball cleanly before the Shoguns drove over the line with lock Alex Brown claiming the try.

Bristol went into the interval 29-10 in front but 30 seconds after the restart gave away a bizarre try. Williams' attempted clearance kick was charged down by Will Greenwood and Andrew Higgins hooked the ball back over his his own line where Greenwood collected to touchdown.

Burke added the simple conversion but shortly after the visitors were reduced to 14 men when Fulton was sent to the sin-bin by international referee Tony Spreadbury for tackling David Rees without the ball.

Bristol took advantage of the extra man to score their fourth try, and claim a bonus point. Contepomi broke and fed centre Daryl Gibson to score.

Contepomi added the conversion but failed to find his mark a couple of minutes later when Daryl Gibson, the former All Blacks centre, scored in the corner.

Quins hit back when replacement Tony Diprose scored in the corner with Burke converting.

Then the visitors gained a try-scoring bonus point as they worked the ball across field to left wing Ben Gollings who sprinted through a gap between Williams and replacement Lee Best. Burke added the conversion.

With the game now deep in injury-time,Pichot was alert to another try-scoring opportunity as he chipped through and won the chase for the touchdown with his fellow Argentinian international Contepomi adding the extras.

Quins went in search of a losing bonus point with full-back Nathan Williams scoring. Burke added the conversion and then in the 86th minute his drop-goal attempt hit the upright before he added a penalty in the 90th minute.

Teams:

Bristol: Williams, Rees, Higgins, Gibson, Christophers, Contepomi, Pichot, Sheridan, Nelson, Crompton, Archer, A. Brown, Salter, Lipman, Beattie.

Not Used: Johnstone, Rowland, Oakley, S. Morgan, C. Morgan, Best, Richards.

Tries: Pichot 2, Nelson, A. Brown, Gibson 2.

Cons: Contepomi 3.

Pens: Contepomi 4.

Harlequins: N. Williams, Luger, Greenwood, Deane, Gollings, Burke, Fulton, Cardinalli, Fuga, Dawson, Evans, Codling, Tiatia, Sheriff, Vos.

Not Used: Jones, Miall, Davison, Diprose, Bemand, Satala, Monye.

Sin Bin: Fulton (45).

Tries: Luger, Greenwood, Diprose, Gollings, N. Williams.

Cons: Burke 5.

Pens: Burke 2.

Att: 5,205

Ref: Tony Spreadbury (RFU).