4:32pm Wednesday 17th February 2010
NORTH BRISTOL continued their climb away from the relegation zone with a fine win over third-placed Barton Hill.
Top points scorer, Dan Snow, made a welcome addition to the team after missing last week’s win and he was at the forefront of North Bristol’s scoring.
On 15 minutes it was Snow who started North’s tally with a well struck penalty after Barton Hill had transgressed at a ruck.
However it was a Barton Hill lineout after 25 minutes that set up the first try.
Towering lock, John Wood, robbed the throw and the pack drove 20 metres to the line where flanker Alex Featherstone touched down. Snow’s conversion hit the upright and North led 8-0.
After 35 minutes some good hands involving skipper Ross Wilson, in his 150th league match, and Simon Mortimer saw winger Gary Charles step and dart down the touchline to score a great try which Snow converted for a 15-0 lead.
Barton Hill were creaking at this point and their tight-head prop was sin-binned for persistent infringements but Snow missed an opportunity as he pushed the penalty wide.
As the half neared its conclusion, a catch and drive from a lineout ten metres out saw Chris Jelf claim the try, and with Snow’s good conversion North were 22-0 up at the break.
Nick Yiasoumi scored a try for Barton Hill early in the second half before Jelf was sin-binned for a late challenge on 56 minutes.
The visitors scored a converted try through Ross Baker wide on the right to make it 22-12 and then just before Jelf was due to return to the fray, hooker Tony Booth received his ten minutes for killing the ball on the goal-line. Matters were made worse as Barts were also awarded a penalty try and conversion to bring the score to 22-19.
North Bristol responded as Snow dived into the corner for a try on 70 minutes .
With five minutes to go they Barton Hill sure of a grandstand finish as Kris Coote scored their fourth try to get within three points.
North Bristol were not to be denied however as Snow connected on one of two late penalties to seal North’s seventh win in their last nine league outings.
North Bristol: Tries - Gary Charles, Alex Featherstone, Chris Jelf, Dan Snow; Conversions - Dan Snow (2); Penalties - Dan Snow (2).
Merit Table Barton Hill II 20 North Bristol II 10
After leading 10-0 early on, North Bristol suffered defeat at Barton Hill.
After only ten minutes, on his debut as flanker, Lee Heal broke from loose play on Hill’s 22 to dodge and sprint through flat footed defenders to score an excellent try on the left. Impressive fly-half Greg Welsher made nonsense of the difficult angle to convert.
Welsher again coolly slotted a wide-angled penalty on the right to nudge North 10-0 ahead.
On the half hour a quick tap penalty down the blind side by Hill produced a try for Colin Dryer to reduce the arrears to 10-5.
As play flowed back the other was an exciting move involving Alex Vittle, in his 50th Merit Table game, Jim Hitchman and Rob Collins might have produced points but they fell short.
Indeed it was to be at the other end that another tap penalty would produce a try for Rich Peabody from which Bev Wetter converted so that Barton Hill entered the break 12-10 ahead.
Although North turned to use the slope it was Barts who stepped up the pressure which they maintained throughout the half.
There were the usual counter-attacks from deep from veteran Nick Tatum and from new left wing Dan Townsend but neither produced a real threat.
A penalty miss from Welsher, and two more from Wetter as well, pointed towards stagnation but despite the defensive efforts of Shah Seehootoorah, Smith, Heal and Jamie Goodchild Barts finally took control.
First a rare penalty success came from Wetter but then more forward pressure saw Jeff Gaye score as Barton Hill won a dull but good spirited encounter.
North Bristol: Tries - Lee Heal; Conversions - Greg Welsher; Penalties - Greg Welsher.
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