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Virimi Vakatawa injured as Bristol beat Northampton
By PA
Bristol Bears roared back from 11 points down to beat Northampton 33-27 and bag a second successive win at the start of the Gallagher Premiership season.
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The Bears had fallen 19-8 down at cinch Stadium but 10 points in the final two minutes of the first half set them up for a big second period.
Tommy Freeman did extend the Northampton lead briefly with a bonus-point try just after the break, but Max Lahiff and Harry Thacker went over to secure a fine Bristol success.
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The Saints had been hit by an injury blow before the game as full-back George Hendy was forced to withdraw in the warm-up, bringing Tom Litchfield in at centre.
But the home side made a flying start to the match, scoring inside three minutes as a well-worked move ended with Tom Seabrook scoring in the corner.
Fin Smith slotted the conversion with aplomb and Northampton had a 7-0 lead early on.
Bristol were having to work hard in defence, but when they got their chance to attack, they took it, Virimi Vakatawa offloading superbly for Magnus Bradbury to score.
Callum Sheedy hit the post with his conversion and Northampton soon made him pay, James Ramm doing brilliantly to offload for Seabrook to score again.
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Smith’s conversion made it 14-5, but Sheedy cut the gap with a scrum penalty.
Bristol were then hit by a yellow card as Gabriel Ibitoye was punished for a deliberate knock-on.
Northampton wasted little time in making the most of their man advantage as a fine flat pass from Tom James set Tom Pearson free and the flanker glided in for the score.
Bristol were having to hold on but they saw out the rest of the sin-bin period well before suffering an injury issue as Vakatawa was forced off five minutes before the break.
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The Bears launched a fightback before the break as Sheedy slotted a penalty and then added the conversion to Bradbury’s second score of the game.
Northampton hit back at the start of the second half, with a chargedown and kick ahead leading to an opening for Freeman, who showed his speed and composure to bag the Saints’ bonus-point try.
But the Bears bit back, kicking a penalty to the corner before prop Lahiff showed his power to score.
Sheedy’s conversion put Bristol ahead for the first time, and the fly-half extended the lead with a penalty soon after.
Northampton were really struggling and, after Sam Graham was sin-binned for killing the ball, Thacker rumbled over from a lineout drive to bag the Bears’ bonus-point try.
The Saints finally found some energy as they earned a penalty seven minutes from time, Smith slotting it to put his team in losing bonus point territory.
Northampton had one final chance before the end, but the Bears defended ferociously as a knock-on ensured the away side would win it.
