Contepomi's charge muffles champions

Bristol 38 Leicester 21

Bristol secured eighth place in the Zurich Premiership table as they condemned the champions Leicester to their fourth league defeat of the season.

Both sides were reduced to 14 men before the interval when the referee, Steve Lander, sent off Bristol's England prop Julian White and the Leicester No 8 Adam Balding for fighting. Bristol, having pinned the Tigers back in the early stages, opened the scoring after seven minutes as Andy Higgins took a pass from Jason Little, before switching inside to claim the first try.

The Argentinian international Felipe Contepomi added the conversion and stretched Bristol's advantage with two penalties. Bristol then scored two tries in quick succession either side of the half-hour, the first through Little and then Contepomi intercepted a wide pass to score in the left corner.

Contepomi converted both to set a new club league points record before Leicester breached the Bristol 22 for the first time as Geordan Murphy found the gap.

Bristol led 27-11 at the interval and although the Tigers fought back with Josh Kronfeld and Glenn Gelderbloom, the hosts were equal to the task.

Bristol – Tries Higgins, Little, Contepomi, Christophers. Conversions Contepomi 3. Penalties Contepomi 4. Leicester – Tries Murphy, Kronfeld, Gelderbloom. Penalties Goode 2.

Bristol: Best; Rees, Higgins, Little, Christophers; Contepomi, Pichot; Crompton, McCarthy, White, Archer, A Brown, Short, Lipman, Sturnham, Sturnham, Brownrigg, Daniel. Replacements: Daniel for Rees (48), Little for Higgins (62), Daniel for Little (59), Nelson for McCarthy (62), Payne for Short (44), Brownrigg for Sturnham (16), Brownrigg for Sturnham (65), Sturnham for Brownrigg (24), Rees for Daniel (51).

Leicester: Murphy; Smith, Lloyd, Gelderbloom, Booth; Goode, Grindal; Freshwater, Cockerill, Nebbett, Deacon, Short, W. Johnson, Kronfeld, Balding. Replacements: Stimpson for Murphy (58), Healey for Booth (78), Ellis for Grindal (60), Jelley for Freshwater (77), Phuber for Cockerill (66), Moody for W Johnson (42).

Sent off: Bristol White (40), Leicester Balding (40).

Referee: John Barnard (RFU).