Nelson try gives Bristol added bonus

Bristol 32 London Irish 3

It is not often that a draw leaves one side with an advantage, but after a thrilling, if scrappy, Zurich Premiership match at the Memorial Ground, that is how it worked out for Bristol, who clawed their way off the bottom of the table after picking up four tries and a consequent bonus point.

With their superior points difference, the three points they picked up after this, the third league draw in 21 months between these two sides, were just enough to ease Bristol off the bottom and leave London Irish in their place.

And had Shane Drahm's injury time conversion of Saul Nelson's match-saving try, been just an inch or so to the right, Bristol would have secured a victory. "I want to kick Nelson up the arse for scoring in the corner rather than under the posts," joked Peter Thorburn, Bristol's director of rugby.

But the plague of the professional era – inconsistent refereeing – threatened the match as a spectacle. Had it not been for the excellence of the Irish at the set piece and Bristol in broken play, there would have been precious little to cheer the surprisingly sizeable crowd.

Bristol were woeful at the line-out, losing half a dozen of their own to Irish's second row discovery Nick Kennedy, a basketball convert who took up rugby just three years ago. At 21 he looks a fantastic prospect and with dual nationality, Irish and English, he could well be the subject of a tug-of-war in the not too distant future.

The pity of it was that Irish were unable to use the amount of possession they won. It was also a shame that Bristol's best efforts were too often thwarted by desperate Irish defending or interrupted by the referee's whistle.

But having bravely, and correctly, awarded one penalty try to Bristol mid-way through the first half, Robin Goodliffe then mystifyingly declined to give them a second one at the start of the third quarter after Brendon Daniel had been pulled back when he had crossed the Exiles' line. Instead Bristol were awarded a penalty which ultimately led to Drahm's touchdown.

The fly-half had a fine game, repeatedly tormenting the opposition with his show and go bravura. But as has happened in two of their three previous meetings, by the end there was scarcely room for a fag paper to be slid between the two sides.

With their own goal kicker, Barry Everitt, in reasonable form and a well-worked try from Nick Burrows as well as Declan Danaher's late effort, the Exiles were able to neutralise Bristol's potent backline for whom Daniel had opened the scoring following a quickly taken penalty.

Bristol: Tries Daniel, penalty try, Drahm, Nelson; Conversions Drahm 3; Penalties Drahm 2. London Irish: Tries Burrows, Danaher; Conversions Everitt 2; Penalties Everitt 6.

Bristol: L Best; B Daniel, A Higgins (D Rees, 77), D Gibson, P Christophers; S Drahm, P Richards; E Bergamaschi (S Nelson, 73), P Johnstone, D Crompton, G Archer (capt), A Brown, M Salter, R Oakley (S Nelson, 35-40+2), C Short.

London Irish: M Horak; P Sackey, N Burrows, B Venter, P Rossouw; B Everitt, D Edwards; M Worsley (N Hatley, 47), N Drotske, R Hardwick (P Durant, 79), R Strudwick (capt), N Kennedy, P Gustard (J Cockle, 60), C Sheasby, D Danaher.

Referee: R Goodliffe (Sheffield).