Connacht claimed a 27-10 bonus-point triumph over a 14-man Bristol Bears as they kept alive their slim Investec Champions Cup qualification hopes with a home victory.
The maximum haul means the Irish outfit move up to fourth position in Pool One as they now must hope that Lyon do them a favour at Saracens on Saturday evening.
‘s try scorers on Friday were Shayne Bolton, Jack Aungier, Caolin Blade and Andrew Smith, with JJ Hanrahan and Jack Carty adding extras off the kicking tee.
, who had second-row Josh Caulfield sent off on 13 minutes, had a AJ MacGinty penalty and a penalty try to show for their efforts as they bow out at the pool stage.
Connacht, looking for their first point of the campaign in their fourth game, got off to the perfect start when wing Bolton crossed with just seven minutes gone, and they were handed a further boost six minutes later when Bears lock Caulfield was sent off for a stamp on Bealham.-
Fellow front-rower Aungier doubled the home side’s lead with 20 minutes gone and fly-half Hanrahan added the conversion as England prop Kyle Sinckler headed for the sin bin for an offence during the build-up.
MacGinty reduced the deficit with a penalty as Sinckler returned, but the Irish province went in at the break 17-3 ahead courtesy of scrum-half Blade’s jinking run, although it took a last-gasp tackle from David Hawkshaw to prevent Harry Randall from dragging the visitors back into it.
Smith saw an early second-half try ruled out for a toe in touch after a lengthy review, but he was not to be denied and crossed from replacement fly-half Carty’s pass to secure the bonus point with Carty converting successfully.
Bristol centre Kalaveti Ravouvou was adjudged to have lost control of the ball as he touched down and the visitors made a late push during which they mauled the ball towards the Connacht line, but collapsed as the home side responded.
Sinckler spilled the ball inches out after a quick tap-penalty set up a late chance, but after Carty had kicked a late penalty, the Bears pack made the pressure tell as Connacht collapsed a maul and conceded a penalty try in the final play of the game.
Connacht: 15 Tiernan O’Halloran, 14 Andrew Smith, 13 David Hawkshaw, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 Shayne Bolton, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Caolin Blade, 8 Jarrad Butler, 7 Shamus Hurley-Langton, 6 Cian Prendergast, 5 Joe Joyce, 4 Niall Murray, 3 Finlay Bealham, 2 Tadgh McElroy, 1 Denis Buckley
Replacements: 16 Dave Heffernan, 17 Peter Dooley, 18 Jack Aungier, 19 Oisín Dowling, 20 Conor Oliver, 21 Michael McDonald, 22 Jack Carty, 23 Oran McNulty
Bristol: 15 Max Malins, 14 Kalaveti Ravouvou, 13 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Benhard Janse van Rensburg, 11 Gabriel Ibitoye, 10 AJ MacGinty, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Magnus Bradbury, 7 Fitz Harding (c), 6 Steven Luatua, 5 Joe Batley, 4 Josh Caulfield, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Gabriel Oghre, 1 Jake Woolmore
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Sam Grahamslaw, 18 Max Lahiff, 19 Joe Owen, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 James Williams, 23 Piers O’Conor
Referee: Pierre Brousset (Fra)
Assistant Referees: Pierre-Baptiste Nuchy (Fra), Kevin Bralley (Fra)
TMO: Denis Grenouillet (Fra)
