Bristol stun Harlequins at the Stoop
MATCH REPORT: AJ MacGinty’s try-saving tap tackle prevented a late Harlequins comeback as Bristol Bears clung on for a 15-12 victory at a sodden Twickenham Stoop.
An early penalty from MacGinty gave Bears the lead, extended by Harry Thacker from a lineout drive for his fourth try of the season.
Josh Bassett responded for the hosts at the end of the first quarter, sliding over the whitewash for his first try for Quins after a slick passing move.
But just before half time Gabriel Ibitoye stepped inside with power and purpose to dot down against his former club and increase the Bears’ lead to 15-5.
Danny Care thought he had scored Harlequins’ second try, but Ibitoye did superbly to drag the scrum-half into touch milliseconds before the veteran grounded.
The hosts eventually crossed in the 58th minute, Cadan Murley finishing with a flourish and Tommaso Allan added the extras to make it a three-point game.
And just when Andre Esterhuizen looked certain to rescue the match in the 79th minute, MacGinty’s last-ditch intervention caused the Harlequin to stumble and spill the ball centimetres from the whitewash.
“It feels good. We’ve been working incredibly hard and we were not really getting the results that we wanted,” Bristol Bears hooker Harry Thacker said after the match.
“We’ve been struggling away from home and at Quins as well; that feels good after Christmas. We worked hard for it.
“[The difference was] attitude, I don’t know. It’s tough to play in these conditions and sometimes you just need to win the ground as we said all week.
“We did the ugly stuff well today and we were a bit fired up. Everyone had a bit of Christmas pudding to put us over the gain line a bit.”
The scorers:
For Harlequins:
Tries: Bassett, Murley
Con: Allen
For Bristol Bears:
Tries: Thacker; Ibitoye
Con: MacGinty.
Pen: MacGinty
Harlequins: 15 Nick David, 14 Cadan Murley, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Andre Exterhuizen, 11 Josh Bassett, 10 Tommy Allan, 9 Danny Care, 8 Alex Dombrandt (captain), 7 Will Evans, 6 Archie White, 5 Irne Herbst, 4 Goerge Hammond, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Jack Walker, 1 Joe Marler.
Replacements: 16 George Head, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Simon Kerrod, 19 Charlie Matthews, 20 Tom Lawday, 21 Lewis Gjaltema, 22 Will Edwards, 23 Oscar Beard.
Bristol Bears: 15 Rich Lane, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Semi Radradra, 12 Sam Bedlow, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Andy Uren; 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Jack Heenan, 6 Steven Luatua (Captain), 5 Chris Vui. 4 Joe Batley. 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Ellis Genge.
Replacements: 16 Jake Kerr, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Jay Tyack, 19 Elliott Stooke, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Tom Whiteley, 22 Callum Sheedy, 23 Ioan Lloyd.
Source: Premiership
