Ellis Genge celebrated his Bristol homecoming in style by crossing the whitewash twice as the Bears stunned Bath 31-29 on Saturday.
The Rec-based outfit endured a wretched 2021/22 campaign, finishing at the bottom of the table, and they were left desolate by Bristol’s late show at Ashton Gate.
In their first game under the stewardship of Johann van Graan, the early signs looked promising for Bath as they appeared on course for a priceless win, only for late Genge and Will Capon tries to break their hearts.
England prop Genge, who was making his return to the club after six years with Leicester Tigers, opened the scoring before the visitors hit back through Ben Spencer’s try and Piers Francis’ penalty.
Magnus Bradbury and Luke Morahan would restore the Bears’ advantage, albeit successive Francis three-pointers would keep Bath in contention.
Van Graan’s men then took control in the second period with Tom Dunn touching down and their fly-half adding to his own personal haul with another penalty.
Although Genge went over for the second time, the hosts still had plenty of work to do, especially when Francis added another successful effort off the tee.
However, the Bears mounted one last attack and Capon, allied by AJ MacGinty’s conversion, won them a dramatic Premiership match.
Click here for teams and scorers
Genge could not have hoped for a better start on his first appearance since joining from Leicester in the summer. In the first minute the England prop charged straight through a gap and, with Kyle Sinckler on his outside, dummied the final defender to finish a tremendous individual try.
Callum Sheedy added the extras but Bath began to grind their way back into the game and, after a period of pressure, Francis got them on the scoreboard with a penalty.
Bath were beginning to stress Bristol’s defence and a break from their captain Spencer from the base of the ruck saw the scrum-half run in unopposed from 35 metres out, Francis kicking the conversion to put Bath 10-7 ahead.
With just over 10 minutes of the first half remaining Bristol managed to build some pressure in the Bath 22. After a solid scrum, their forwards took the route one approach before the ball was spread wide for Scotland international Bradbury to squeeze over in the right-hand corner on his competitive debut for the club.
Bristol then attacked from deep which put Bath under pressure and resulted in their centre Will Butt being sent to the sin bin for not rolling away at the breakdown.
Further cards ensued after Morahan scored Bristol’s third try, touching down in the corner after a driving maul and good work by Sheedy and Charles Piutau.
Tensions rise
Bath’s replacements, who were warming up nearby, got involved in a melee with some Bristol players and hooker Niall Annett, an unused substitute, was red-carded by referee Matthew Carley with Sheedy sin-binned.
Francis hit another penalty for the visitors meaning Bristol turned around with just a 17-16 lead.
Bath drew first blood in the second half with prop Dunn powering his way over from short range after a period of sustained pressure. Francis converted and made it a two-score game at 26-17 with another penalty.
Genge put Bristol within touching distance when he charged through three defenders to score a sensational try and set up a grandstand finish, and Capon soon scored from a well-worked driving lineout with MacGinty’s conversion putting Bristol into the lead.
Francis missed a late drop-goal attempt to send the home crowd ecstatic.
Click Here: Frenkie de Jong jersey sale