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Last Updated: Sunday, 18 September 2005, 15:49 GMT 16:49 UK

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Bristol 9-41 Gloucester

MATCH SUMMARY

Jon Goodridge celebrates his second-half try

Bristol 9 (9)
Pens: Strange 3

Gloucester 41 (27)
Tries: Forrester 2, Thomas, Goodridge
Cons: Mercier 3
Pens: Mercier 5

Bristol's perfect start to the season came to an end with a comprehensive defeat at the hands of Gloucester.

Jason Strange kicked two penalties to give Bristol a 6-0 lead but James Forrester's try and Ludovic Mercier's boot put Gloucester in charge.

Haydn Thomas was first to a hopeful kick forward in injury time to give the visitors a 27-9 advantage at the break.

Jon Goodridge and Forrester crossed again to put Gloucester out of sight while Mercier ended up with 21 points.

Gloucester's joy at preserving their unbeaten start to the season will be tempered by the injuries to England duo Phil Vickery and Mike Tindall.

Vickery, whose has suffered a host of injury setbacks recently, went off nursing a shoulder problem while Tindall left the field clutching his ribs.

The setbacks did not make difference however as Gloucester dominated all aspects of the game, despite Bristol's best efforts.

Mercier replied to Strange's opening penalties before Forrester was bundled over from a line-out drive.

Bristol paid for their indiscipline in the opening period with a grateful Mercier slotting over another four penalties.

Thomas' try put Gloucester even further in front and even though Bristol started the second half brightly, Goodridge finished off a stunning counter attack on 57 minutes to end their hopes.

Forrester's second try four minutes later put the cap on the win although Bristol showed character to keep Gloucester out in the closing stages.

Gloucester boss Dean Ryan:

"(Vickery and Tindall) are sore, but it is too early to make an assessment at this stage. I don't think either of them will require X-rays, but I am not the expert.

He added: "We are upset with some aspects. There were a lot of penalties against us, and just because we were running at 40-odd-9 ahead, our behaviour mustn't change.

"In points terms this season, I am pleased, but in performance terms there is a long way to go."

Bristol head coach Richard Hill:

"That was more like what we were expecting to face in the Premiership.

"It wasn't a good performance from us, and we are disappointed, but Gloucester looked very sharp.

"It is a case now of forgetting about it and moving on. We have been beaten by a better side fair and square, and you accept it."

Bristol: Stortoni; Lima, Higgitt, M Contepomi, Going; Strange, Perry; Hilton, Nelson, Crompton; Sambucetti, Winters; Salter (capt), El Abd, G Lewis
Replacements:
Denney for Contepomi (59), Gray for Strange (69), Nicholls for Perry (40), Irish for Hilton (69), N Clarke for Nelson (69), Hodge for Salter (59), Ward-Smith for Lewis (53).

Sin Bin: Hodge (73).

Gloucester: Goodridge; Foster, Tindall, Paul, Thirlby; Mercier, Thomas; Collazo, M Davies, Vickery (capt); Eustace, Brown; Buxton, Hazell, Forrester.
Replacements: McRae for Goodridge (69), Adams for Tindall (73), Richards for Thomas (40), Azam for M. Davies (59), Powell for Vickery (41), Boer for Hazell (59).
Not Used: Cornwell.

Sin Bin: Collazo (67), Azam (77).

Att: 11,558

Ref: David Rose (RFU).

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WATCH AND LISTEN

Interview: Gloucester head coach Dean Ryan


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