Sorry Saints humbled at Ashton Gate as rampant Bristol Bears are on cloud nine

The Bears, whose only defeat in their previous six games was a late 20-19 loss at Saracens in January, gritted their teeth early on to withstand a Saints surge.

And when chances came, Pal Lam's side took them without blinking, punishing the porous black, green and gold at every turn.

Saints, missing 14 players due to a combination of injuries and international absences, had won their previous three Gallagher Premiership matches, but they had no answers on a sorry night in the south west.

Phil Dowson's side did actually start the game on the front foot and after Bristol were caught offside, Fin Smith put the away side ahead.

Bristol were back on terms almost immediately as AJ MacGinty slotted a penalty of his own, but Saints were soon attacking with some fury, only to have the door shut in their face.

And the Bears, who had barely been in the Saints half during the opening stages, were to hit the black, green and gold with a sucker punch on 20 minutes.

Harry Randall was so sharp as he managed to show and go, cruising through the gap to score.

MacGinty converted, and it looked like it was two tries soon after as Siva Naulago was released by a brilliant Harry Thacker run, but the final pass was forward and it was ruled out.

Bristol were now on top though, and they soon won a scrum penalty as the heat continued to be cranked up.

It wasn't long before Thacker went over for his standard score against Saints as the hosts proved far too hot to handle close to the away line.

At 17-3, it was already looking a long way back for Saints.

The black, green and gold soon got back in the ascendancy, but they could not find a way through a stubborn home defence.

It was turning out to be a clash of the ruthless and the toothless as Bristol's defence stood firm under continual pressure.

And when the chances came for the Bears, they punished Saints at every turn.

Charles Piutau made a sensational break before placing a kick into the path of Randall, who held off George Hendy and dived over in the corner.

MacGinty missed the conversion but Saints were 22-3 down and the game was getting away from them.

And it was to get even worse from the final play of the half as the Bears moved the ball right at speed, allowing creator-in-chief Piutau to send Ioan Lloyd over in the corner.

It was a first-half bonus-point for the hosts, who had been utterly clinical, and they led 27-3 heading in at half-time.

It was to be more of the same at the start of the second half as Smith missed touch with a penalty and Bristol turned on the style to score again through Lloyd.

MacGinty converted well from the touchline and the scoreline was an eye-watering 34-3 with so much time still to play.

Bristol were full of belief, flinging the ball around at a pace that Saints simply couldn't live with.

Scores were coming so freely, with Chris Vui picking the ball up from the breakdown and cruising over untouched.

MacGinty converted and Saints were being humbled.

The away side finally had something to shout with 23 minutes to go as Tom Collins made a razor-sharp break and Aaron Hinkley released Hendy for the score.

Smith missed the conversion but it wasn't looking likely to have any bearing as Bristol shrugged off the concession of the try and returned to the Saints half.

It didn't take long for George Kloska to go over as the Saints defence continued its no-show, allowing the Bears to pouch their seventh try of a painful night.

James Williams added the salt to the already gaping wounds with the successful conversion, and Bristol were closing in on a half-century.

It arrived 12 minutes from time as Fitz Harding finished off another tidy move, with Williams adding the extras again.

Saints couldn't get out and after Hinkley was sin-binned, Bristol went over for try number nine as Jake Heenan scored from a quick tap.

Williams converted to make it 62-8 and there was still six minutes of misery remaining for Saints.

Bristol saw out the closing stages and their fans were in full voice as Saints trudged off the pitch with their heads bowed after a brutal 80 minutes.

Bristol Bears: Piutau (Uren 54); Naulago (Lloyd 25), Radradra, Williams, Ibitoye; MacGinty (Bedlow 57), Randall (c); Y Thomas (Woolmore 52), Thacker (Byrne 52), Lahiff (Kloska 52); Vui, Batley; Jeffries (Luatua 36 (Heenan 66)), Harding, Bradbury.

Saints: Hendy; Skosan, Dingwall (c) (Litchfield 66), Hutchinson, Collins; F Smith (Grayson 66), Braley (Garside 66); E Waller (A Waller 40), S Matavesi, Petch (Hill 40); Salakaia-Loto, Moon; Coles (Wilkins 25 (Cruse 66)), Scott-Young, Graham (Hinkley 55).

Referee: Ian Tempest