Bristol suffer Euro exit
Bristol failed to reach the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup despite a 25-14 win over Montpellier.
Last Updated: 25/01/09 7:09pm
Bristol failed to reach the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup despite a 25-14 win over Montpellier.
The Guinness Premiership club needed the small matter of eight tries to pip Bourgoin for the final spot in the knockout stages.
In the end they only managed three - scored by David Lemi, Shaun Perry and Redford Pennycook - at the Memorial Stadium.
Hopes were raised when winger Lemi darted over to break the deadlock after just five minutes, Ed Barnes adding the conversion.
Perry also crossed in the opening half, Barnes again slotting over the extras, to give the home side a 14-0 advtantage at the break.
Comeback
Replacement Pennycook went over 10 minutes after the re-start to extend the gap before Montpellier came roaring back to make a game of it.
Francois Trinh Duc, who was left out of the French squad for the upcoming RBS Six Nations, finally got the visitors on the board with a try.
The fly-half also knocked over the conversion and was on target again with the boot following Jerome Vallee's 66th minute effort.
In between Barnes landed three points and his second penalty in the closing stages secured Bristol a rare win in what has been a tough season.
The result means Bristol, who are currently bottom of the Premiership, are the only English side to fail to reach the last eight of the competition.
To make matters even worse for head coach Richard Hill, Robert Sidoli, Luke Arscott and Alfie To'oala all picked up injuries in the game.