Bath v Bristol Shoguns
24th November 2002

Bristol Shoguns marked the end of their lengthy period without a win at the Rec, which long surpassed the advent of the Premiership league, by defeating the home side 19-30.

Local derbies are always full of expectation and this one was no exception. No surprise then that the vocal Bristol crowd was pleased with the team’s first try through Andrew Higgins in the seventh minute. 

The centre’s solo effort started from a flat pass but he gathered it, side-stepped Rob Thirlby and charged 40 metres to the line. Simon Danielli was unable to stop him. Shane Drahm started his afternoon well with the conversion kick.

Chris Malone was finding distance and touch with his kicks and was given his first shot at goal as the half hour mark approached, when Bristol were caught off side. He and Drahm exchanged penalties, although Drahm missed one of his two before half time, and it looked like Bath would head into the interval only four points adrift as Malone’s second shot was again on target.

Bristol’s full back had other ideas. The move had started in front of the East Stand with a drive and ended up exposing an overlap on the other side which was easily exploited. He didn’t need asking twice. “Simply Lee Best” was being sung very loudly by a ‘neutral’ spectator as Drahm lined up the conversion.

Bath had a tough second half in prospect, starting eleven points adrift.

Michael Foley said afterwards: “We were our own worst enemies in terms of the mistakes we made.”

The second forty started much the same as the first, though Malone was given an early chance when Garath Archer was penalised at the lineout. With three points of the eleven already made up, it looked like the uphill struggle might be more gentle an incline after all. The floodlights had come on, raincoats were out, but Bath didn’t look like letting their spirit dampen.

And then the gap became a single point. Alex Crockett will be disappointed that the try won’t go down next to his name, as he crossed the line, but the referee had seen an infringement and awarded a penalty try to Bath and a ten minute break to Archer. It made the conversion slightly easier for Malone.

With ten minutes to go, Malone had a chance to put Bath ahead for the first time and complete a mammoth come-back. It was the only shot he missed all afternoon, though at this stage there was still time.

Bristol’s third try came only moments later, through hooker Paul Johnstone who appeared from the ruck with the ball and sprinted the 20 metres to the line. 

Peter Thorburn attributed the run to Johnstone’s time in Zimbabwe: “You have to run quickly over there or you get eaten by lions.” 

Bristol will be pleased then that he managed to escape such a fate.

With another successful conversion, the game finished with the same eleven point margin that had seen Bristol start the second half in such a comfortable position. Bristol were unable to secure another 4-try bonus point, but Bath couldn’t hold on to the losers’ bonus either.

Rowen Whittle