Report: DMP Sharks 7-55 Bristol Bears

The bonus point victory brings the Bears to within four points off Harlequins in fourth spot, the London outfit suffered an away defeat against Saracens.

Try scorers for the Bears included a double on debut for Deborah Wills, a double for Reneeqa Bonner, joining them on the scoreboard were Rownita Marston, Amber Reed, Lark Davies, Megan Barwick and Ella Lovibond.

Dave Ward’s side kicked off proceedings and were handed a penalty imminently, DMP penalised for being offside.The forwards went through the phases off the back of a rolling maul, before Marston caught the home side’s defence napping to bag the opening score.

Ten minutes in skipper Reed shrugged off a few defenders and went over the try line, the back converted her own try.

Quick ball led to Wills scoring her first, the former GB 7s player nipping over from short range.

Davies the last to come up from a pile of bodies, the rolling maul once again effective for the travelling side, to score just before the break. The Bears led at half-time 0-28.

Early replacements in the second half included the return of Hollie Cunningham.

Lovibond offloaded to send Wills over for her second, the winger with the fend off to score in the corner.

Barwick pinched the ball at a DMP line out and then sold the dummy to sail over from 22 metres out, Lucie Skuse converted.

England U20s player Bonner made a break from deep within the Bears half and put on the afterburners to score her sides’ seventh of the evening.

Big carrying from Sarah Bern brought the Bears to 22 metres out, before the ball made its way into the hands of Bonner who sped over for her second.

Lovibond made the break from her own 10 metre line, slipped through a tackle and put her head down to finish.

The home side scored a late consolation through Trudy Cowan, which was converted by April Ishida.

Next up for the Bears is Worcester Warriors Women at home on Saturday, February 25th.

BUY TICKETS  

Bristol Bears: Ella Lovibond, Grace White,  Phoebe Murray, Amber Reed (c), Deborah Wills, Lucie Skuse, Lucy Burgess; Simi Pam, Lark Davies (vc), Ellie Mulhearn, Lyndsay O’Donnell, Delaney Burns, Meg Barwick, Alice Lockwood, Rownita Marston

Finishers: Jess Sprague, Holly Phillips, Sarah Bern, Hollie Cunningham, Bo Osborn-Clarke, Meg Davies, Mollie Wilkinson, Reneeqa Bonner

PICK OF THE MATCH: LUCY BURGESS