London Irish swapped places with Bristol at the bottom of the Premiership despite securing a draw in a rousing match that saw the lead change hands six times before the replacement hooker Saul Nelson drew the home side level with a stoppage-time try.
Shane Drahm had the chance to win the match for Bristol with a touchline conversion and the ball appeared to have gone through the posts only for the touch-judges to rule it high and wide. Bristol moved off the foot of the table thanks to the bonus point they secured for scoring four tries and, had their lineout functioned properly, they would have won with something to spare.
After the draw between the sides here last year the then Bristol director of rugby Dean Ryan earned a month's touchline ban for daring to criticise the referee. His successor Peter Thorburn counted to 10 before commenting on the performance of Robin Goodliffe yesterday. Bristol were awarded a penalty try in the first half after Irish had committed two offences near their own line in quick succession but Goodliffe declined to apply the sanction after the interval when Barry Everitt pulled back the wing Brendon Daniel off the ball five yards from his own line with a try far more probable than possible; he was content to award just a penalty. At least Bristol scored from the resulting lineout.
Irish led 19-14 at half-time despite being outscored two tries to one. Bristol's first came after Pieter Rossouw had missed a regulation tackle. The virtues which made the Exiles an irresistible force last season are turning into weaknesses.
Bristol: Best; Daniel, Higgins (Rees, 79), Gibson, Christophers; Drahm, Richards; Bergamaschi (Nelson, 72), Johnstone, Crompton, Archer (capt), Brown, Salter, Short, Oakley.
Tries: Daniel, Drahm, Nelson, penalty try. Cons: Drahm 3. Pens: Drahm 2.
Sin-bin: Bergamaschi, 30.
London Irish: Horak; Sackey, Burrows, Venter, Rossouw; Everitt, Richards; Worsley (Hatley, 46), Drotske, Hardwick (Durant, 79), Strudwick (capt), Kennedy, Gustard (Cockle, 59), Danaher, Sheasby.
Tries: Burrows, Danaher. Cons: Everitt 2. Pens: Everitt 6.
Referee: R Goodliffe (Yorkshire).
Attendance: 5,005.
