By John Harding

Connacht 24 Bristol 14

BRISTOL'S series of pre-season matches came to an end without a victory in four games, but now they have to focus on the start on Sunday (Sep 3) of their GKIPA Championship opener against newly promoted Hartpury at Ashton Gate, kick off 3 pm.

This was the last of four difficult warm-up games for Bristol having already lost the three home games against Aviva Premiership sides Harlequins and neighbour Bath plus Guinness Pro 12 champions Scarlets.

It was a test of two new head coaches at the Galway Sportsground in the West of Ireland with Connacht's Kieran Keane in charge of his first home game and Bristol's Pat Lam returning to the club which he led to the Guinness Pro 12 title in 2016.

"This was exactly what I wanted from the game and why I wanted as the last of four," said Lam.

"The Connacht boys came at us hard and asked some big questions. There were some good moments in the game and things that we can work on.

"This was the perfect heads-up for both teams, and some of our boys got a good sixty or eighty minute run out, so it holds us in good spirit. Pre-season is officially over now, and after a recovery period, we build into the Hartpury game.

"When it comes to pre-season, I am happy but not satisfied, and now we can move on.

"It has been all about putting the boys under pressure and see how they react. It is going to be a terrible time to pick the 22 [to face Hartpury].

"We obviously have a few boys injured, and now it's a challenge for us coaches but one that is exactly what I wanted at this stage going into the first Championship game. We will scrutinise each position to pick the best available team."

It was the first win of Keane's tenure with tries from Peter McCabe and Kieran Marmion in the first half which put Connacht in a commanding position.

This was followed by a penalty try and a touchdown summer signing Rory Scholes.

Bristol had been on level terms with veteran Samoan wing David Lemi, in his first game of the season midway through the first period with Ireland international fly-half Ian Madigan adding the extras.

The visitors second try came ten minutes from time when second-half full back Mat Protheroe made a 30-metre diagonal run to score under the posts with replacement fly-half Billy Searle converting.

Connacht scorers - tries: McCabe, Marmion, Scholes plus penalty try; con: Ronaldson.

Bristol scorers - tries: Tries: Lemi, Protheroe; cons: Madigan, Searle Referee: George Clancy (IRFU) Att: 3,800