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Bath overcame Bristol 22-6 at the Rec in the Challenge Cup on Thursday
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Four Rhys Priestland penalties gave the hosts a 12-3 lead at the break
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Matt Banahan sealed the win late on after Bristol had two yellow cards
Bath Rugby made hard work of dispatching Bristol on Thursday night as they made it back-to-back wins in the European Challenge Cup.
Despite a poor opening 40, the blue, black and whites held a 12-3 lead at the break through four well-struck Rhys Priestland penalties.
Billy Searle had replied with one for the visitors but Bristol, who dominated much of the first half, would have been disappointed to be nine points down at the break.
Debutant Shane Geraghty reduced the deficit with a penalty after the restart but Priestland reestablished the hosts nine-point lead soon after with yet another successful kick, 15-6.
Bristol’s chances of staging a late comeback though were all but ended after they were reduced to 13 men following Jack Tovey and Geraghty’s yellow cards.
The hosts then sealed the victory when Matt Banahan ghosted through the midfield to run over untouched between the Priestland then added the easy kick, which made the final score 22-6.
Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Jeff Williams, 13 Jonathan Joseph, 12 Matt Banahan, 11 Aled Brew; 10 Rhys Priestland, 9 Will Homer, 8 Zach Mercer, 7 Guy Mercer, 6 Matt Garvey, 5 Charlie Ewels, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Michael Van Vuuren, 1 Nick Auterac
Replacements: 16 Tom Dunn, 17 Shaun Knight, 18 Kane Palma Newport, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Leroy Houston, 21 Dan Bowden, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Semesa Rokoduguni
Bristol: 15 Jordan Williams, 14 Ryan Edwards, 13 Jack Tovey, 12 Will Hurrell, 11 Tom Varndell, 10 Billy Searle, 9 Will Cliff, 8 Jordan Crane, 7 Jonathan Fisher, 6 Mitch Eadie, 5 James Phillips, 4 Ian Evans, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Chris Brooker, 1 Kyle Traynor
Replacements: 16 Rob Hawkins, 17 Jack O’Connell, 18 James Hall, 19 Giorgi Nemsadze, 20 Olly Robinson, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Shane Geraghty, 23 Jack Wallace
