Another Ashton Gate nightmare for Saints as Bristol Bears run riot

The black, green and gold had been on the end of two truly brutal defeats in their past three visits to Bristol, the first of which, a 62-8 demolition, remains their record PREM defeat.

And they endured another bucketload of misery on this occasion, suffering a 46-12 humbling at a ground where they have not won in the league since November 2021.

Saints lost Edoardo Todaro to a 20-minute red card inside the opening minute of the match, and they conceded three tries before getting back to 15.

Even returning to a full complement couldn't save them from despair though as they shipped another two tries before the break as buoyant Bristol ran riot.

Saints couldn't get a single point on the board during a first half that was one of their most painful in recent memory as they headed in 35-0 down at the break.

Nothing had gone right for the away side, while everything the Bears touched seemed to turn to gold as they played with an intensity Saints couldn't live with.

JJ van der Mescht finally got Saints on the board with a try early in the second half, but they continued to find themselves on the wrong side of referee Ian Tempest.

And though Tom Litchfield also scored before the end, there was to be no real solace as the Bears marched serenely to a bonus-point win.

Saints had headed to Ashton Gate determined to finally end their wretched record at the stadium, but they got off to a nightmare start as Todaro took Sam Worsley out in the air, resulting in a 20-minute red card for the wing.

The Bears looked to show their bite immediately as they piled on the pressure, with a clever kick cranking up the heat. George Furbank was pushed back behind his own try line, giving Bristol a scrum, which they used to earn a penalty.

A free-kick followed and Kieran Marmion tapped and went, with Saints completely asleep as the Bears scrum-half easily dived over the line.

It wasn't long before Bristol cruised over again, this time Tom Jordan the man to make his way over after the home side showed some fire and desire on the Saints line.

Nothing was going right for the away side as they were being constantly punished at scrum time, giving Bristol more and more chances to run riot.

And soon enough, another score arrived as Harry Thacker went racing down the right before Marmion picked up the pieces to dot down unopposed.

Worsley did well to slot the conversion from the touchline, making it 21-0 inside 16 minutes.

And to make things worse for Saints, Bristol introduced Louis Rees-Zammit in place of Jack Bates, with the Wales wing coming into a game that looked talior-made for him.

Rory Hutchinson eventually came on for Saints to bring them back to 15 men following the incredibly damaging 20-minute red card period.

But it didn't make any immediate difference as Saints were soon under pressure again, with Thacker thinking he'd scored after Bristol picked up a Craig Wright pass inside the away 22.

However, it was called back for a Bristol offside and Saints survived.

The decision-making in the away camp was clearly clouded, with Archie McParland soon putting his side under more pressure with a charged down kick.

Saints managed to bundle Rees-Zammit into touch out wide, but Bristol bagged their bonus-point try inside the half-hour mark as Fin Smith was hit hard by Benhard Janse van Rensburg near halfway and the ball went loose, allowing Kalaveti Ravouvou to race home.

Worsley converted to make it 28-0 and Saints were searching for fortune and some solutions as their evening just continued to get worse and worse.

There was to be a fifth Bears score before the break as a fine pass out wide found replacement Aidan Boshoff and he gleefully dived over the line.

Saints needed a spark at the start of the second half, and they finally got on the scoreboard when McParland found van der Mescht, who dived over for his third try in two matches.

Smith quickly added the conversion and some Saints voices could be heard at Ashton Gate.

But Bristol soon won a penalty at a Saints scrum inside the home 22 as Trevor Davison was harshly penalised, allowing Worsley to add three points to the tally.

Saints kept going though and they finally pieced together a trademark piece of attacking play when the ball was fired left at speed, allowing Furbank, the away side’s standout player on the night, to place a lovely kick into the path of Litchfield for the try.

Smith missed the conversion from the touchline to leave the gap at 26 points with 20 minutes of the match remaining.

Saints came again as they flew forward with more intent, but Toby Thame couldn't quite gather the ball and Bristol escaped.

It was starting to get scrappy again and Saints just couldn't hold onto the ball when they got it, stopping them from really turning the screw.

Worsley added another dagger to the heart with a penalty after Callum Chick was penalised at the breakdown.

And after Litchfield had to come off injured, Bristol added yet more salt to the gaping wounds as Luka Ivanishvili went over thanks to his team’s dominant drive.

Tom West suffered an injury in that play, meaning it was more misery on a night full of it for those of a Northampton persuasion.

Bristol Bears: 15 Tom Jordan (Aidan Boshoff 29); 14 Jack Bates (Louis Rees-Zammit 17), 13 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 12 James Williams, 11 Kalaveti Ravouvou; 10 Sam Worsley, 9 Kieran Marmion (Sam Wolstenholme 50); 1 Jake Woolmore (Max Lahiff 45), 2 Harry Thacker (Tom Gwilliam 70), 3 Lovejoy Chawatama (Jimmy Halliwell 50); 4 Pedro Rubiolo, 5 Joe Batley; 6 Santiago Grondonna, 7 Fitz Harding (c) (Luke Ivanishvili 69), 8 Viliame Mata (Joe Owen 63). Replacements: 20 Luka Ivanishvili.

Saints: 15 George Furbank (c); 14 Edoardo Todaro (Rory Hutchinson 22), 13 Tom Litchfield, 12 Toby Thame, 11 Amena Caqusau (James Pater 67); 10 Fin Smith, 9 Archie McParland (Tom James 60); 1 Emmanuel Iyogun (Tom West 27), 2 Craig Wright (Robbie Smith 60), 3 Trevor Davison (Cleopas Kundiona 52); 4 Ed Prowse, 5 JJ Van Der Mescht (Archie Benson 67); 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Sam Graham (Tom Pearson 52), 8 Callum Chick.

Referee: Ian Tempest

Attendance: 15,720