By David Hibell
October 12 2004

Bristol returned home with the same team that scored the record league victory over Nottingham and comprehensively outplayed Pertemps Bees, sending out a warning shot to the rest of the league that the Shoguns have very much arrived Bristol kicked off the first half with a stiff wind going across the pitch and Pertemps cleared to touch, this was one of three times where Bristol did not win possession of their line out in the whole match, as they were penalised for not throwing straight. Pertemps went on the attack with scrum half Paul Knight picking up at the base of the ruck and launching a kick deep into Bristol territory that was fielded by Simon Hunt who fed fellow home debutant Bernardo Stortoni..

This was to be Bernardo Stortonis first test at home, and did he pass with flying colours! His return cross field kick went from twenty two to twenty two sending the Bees back deep into their own territory.

Pertemps Bees’ return of thirteen lineouts won from twenty two it shows the amount of domination Bristol had in the match and Bristol were to turn over the first Bees lineout to launch their first attack, the forwards drove on and Stortoni took the ball on to win a penalty. Jason Strange stepped up to kick to the corner, the line out was won with a catch and drive but Bees held firm. The ball was worked back and Stortoni burst through three tackles to score in the corner, unusually Strange missed the conversion, but Bristol were five points up after four minutes.

Bees caught the restart kick but could not keep hold of it Strange was able to clear to the half way line from the resulting scrum. Bees handling again let them down as they knocked on from the line out, Bristol tried to take the ball up through back row moves from the base of the scrum but trying the chip ahead Strange kicked out on the full.

Bees won this lineout and strung a few phases together and when Bristol managed to knock on in their twenty two and then penalised in the resulting scrum, Bees chose to run the penalty, shipping the ball to the right and when Simon Martin was collared Tim Walsh used his strength behind the forwards to gain further ground and win a penalty in a better position. Walsh did well to miss from in front, the ball dipping and curving to just wide of the posts reminiscent of a David Beckham free kick.

Bristol quickly cleared the ball away from danger and win a penalty just inside the Bees half, Strange this time making no mistake and his penalty kick cleared the posts with yards to spare. Bristol 8 Bees 0 after quarter of an hour.

The Shoguns reclaimed the restart and press on again with a Jason Strange chip fielded by Jon Pritchard who tried to pass out of the tackle but the ball went to a covering Bees player who kicked long. Jason Strange was back covering and the ball was spun from the right wing to the left via Stortoni to Luke Nabaro facing his old teammates. Luke tried to round Takarangi but the right wing tackled him successfully. Ross Blake playing an excellent game broke from the ruck down the left wing but was called back for an earlier infringement.

Bristol lost another line out for he throw not being straight but destroyed the Bees scrum and Strange was able to extend the lead to 11-0. The forwards were revelling in the match by now and aside form the penalty attempt earlier in the half it was all Bristol and it was all in the Bees half, unlike against Plymouth this time the pressure was made to count with another penalty on twenty nine minutes to make it 14-0.

All the players were involved with tackles going in on the Bees whenever they tried to break, a crunching tackle from Alex Clarke on Hese Fakatou to win turn over ball on the half hour being a case in point. Strange missed with a drop goal as half time approached but from the restart Ross Blake made another break from the twenty two Bristol losing possession knocking on. Matt Salter had to be go off the pitch for treatment to a cut to his head, Chris Morgan was the blood bin replacement, butt he change to the forwards did not alter the way the game went with Bristol winning a penalty far out on the left, Strange unluckily hitting the left upright. Bristol won the restart though with Ross Blake again taking the ball up the left wing finding Stortoni who intelligently slid in from 5 yards out to score his second of the half, Strange again missing the conversion.

Half time and Bristol had a healthy 19-0 lead.