Report: Bristol Rugby 46-31 Nottingham

The hosts scored six tries as Olly Robinson (2), Jack Tovey, Ben Mosses, Charlie Amesbury and Mitch Eadie all touched down at Ashton Gate.

Nottingham opened the scoring inside five minutes as Rupert Cooper crashed over following a strong driving lineout.

In an opening period dominated by forwards play, Bristol came close to responding with a close-range effort of their own only for the ball to be held up over the whitewash.

Instead, Josh Skelcey doubled the visitor’s lead when the winger raced down the outside channel to dab down for a converted try.

Olly Robinson’s try from the back of a driving lineout put Bristol back within touching distance.

Bristol leveled proceedings midway through the first half as Jack Tovey collected Gavin Henson’s delicate chip ahead to touch down, while Henson slotted the extras.

And the hosts went ahead for the first time as Ben Mosses rampaged his way through two defenders to score.

Nottingham were reduced to fourteen men after Lawrence Rayner saw yellow for a deliberate knock on.

Bristol capitalized on the numerical advantage by clinching the bonus point score before the interval. This time, Mitch Eadie capped an impressive forty minutes with a close-range effort to put his side 26-14 ahead.

But it was the Green and Whites who had the final say of the half, as Vili Hakalo squeezed his way over for an unconverted try.

Olly Robinson grabbed his second of the afternoon before the hour mark, but Nottingham stayed in touch courtesy of Rob Langley’s effort – the visitors’ fourth of a pulsating affair.

A Gavin Henson three-pointer kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Bristol lost Jack Tovey to the sin-bin after the centre was yellow carded for an adjudged dangerous tackle.

Moments later, Paul Grant burrowed over from the back of driving maul to put Nottingham within five points at 36-31.

Andy Robinson’s men closed out the affair late on as a Gavin Henson penalty goal and Charlie Amesbury’s late try secured the victory.

Man of the Match: Mitch Eadie