Gloucester are making a habit of conceding 40 points per match but at least they ended up on the right side of the ledger after a nine-try thriller here yesterday.
Defeats at Wasps and Northampton had seen them slip from second place but this five-point maximum win put them back there and also on the verge of qualifivation for the Heineken Cup.
Their director of rugby Nigel Melville has introduced a fine system - £200 for a sending-off, £100 for a sin-binning and £5 for a missed tackle - and the players were obviously protecting their pockets.
The Gloucester pack were too powerful and all five of their tries came from close range, including two Junior Paramore push-overs.
"We have worked on discipline and defence and we improved significantly. We had nobody sent-off or sin-binned and our defence was better," said Melville. "Today was a massive stride forward in securing second place and it's important for us to stay there."
Bristol tried to avoid a forward battle and made a decent fist of it and their rugby director Dean Ryan saluted a display that at least brought them two bonus points for four tries and losing by less than seven points.
"We could have said 'we haven't got Garath Archer, Jason Little and Darren Crompton and we aren't going to do very well' but we tried to win and were outstandingly courageous about it. Ultimately we couldn't stand the pressure they put on us."
Given that these teams had shipped 111 points between them in their last outings, this promised to be a high-scoring game.
They shared four first-half tries and the home side led 20-18 at the break. Bristol's were both opportunist efforts. First, when a pass bounced off David Rees' chest, the alert Lee Best collected to go over. Felipe Contepomi grabbed the second when he intercepted Andy Gomarsall's pass and raced 40 metres to the corner. For Gloucester Koli Sewabu touched down from a maul after Ed Pearce's lineout catch and drive and Gomarsall burrowed over following more good forward work.
In the second half Jamie Williams put Bristol further in front before Phil Vickery and Paramore edged Gloucester 28-27 ahead. Contepomi pushed the see-saw back the other way before Paramore's second try restored Gloucester's advantage. Ludovic Mercier then kicked two drop-goals but Bristol rallied and Rees sent Phil Christophers in. Contepomi converted but the referee then blew the final whistle.
The defeat took a further toll on Bristol's injury-hit squad with Paul Johnstone and Shane Drahm picking up knee injuries.
Bristol: Best; Rees, Williams (Nabaro, 47), Contepomi, Christophers; Drahm (Daniel 20), Pichot (capt); Johnstone (Payne, 35), McCarthy (Nelson, 26), White, Sheridan (Brownrigg, 54), Brown, Short (Morgan, 69), Lipman, Sturnham.
Tries: Best, Contepomi, Williams, Christophers. Cons: Contepomi 4. Pens: Contepomi 4.
Gloucester: Catling; O Leary, Simpson-Daniel, Fanolua, Beim; Mercier, Gomarsall; Woodman, Azam (Fortey, 65), Vickery (capt), Pearce (Fidler, 62), Cornwell, Forrester, K Sewabu, Paramore.
Tries Paramore 2, Sewabu, Gomarsall, Vickery. Cons Mercier 2. Pens Mercier 2. Drop-goals Mercier 2
Referee: T Spreadbury (Somerset). Att: 7066.
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