Bristol Bears were beaten 37-35 by Saracens at Ashton Gate on Saturday in Round Five of the 2024/25 Gallagher Premiership
Bristol Bears were left heartbroken after Saracens won the Gallagher Premiership 37-35 at Ashton Gate thanks to an 83rd-minute Alex Lozowski penalty.
Bristol captain Fitz Harding scored a hat-trick of tries to put Bristol ahead – electrifying scrum-half Harry Randall and winger Toby Fricker both scored – but Saracens never gave up and won their ninth consecutive game against the Bears. Lozowski scored three minutes into stoppage time as Saracens returned to the Premiership summit in spectacular manner. Six days after losing to Harlequins, Saracens struggled at times to cope with Bristol’s exhilarating attacking game, but desperate defending and a brace of tries for full-back Elliot Daly, with wing Rotimi Segun and flanker Toby Knight also scoring, and Lozowski kicking 17 points secured victory.
Bristol’s fly-half AJ MacGinty scored two penalties and two conversions, but they were ultimately beaten at the post in a Premiership clash of box-office proportions.
Saracens were powerless to halt a short-range lineout drive, and Harding claimed the touchdown as Bristol delivered an immediate statement of intent.
Bristol lost lock Josh Caulfield with an injury – he was replaced by Joe Owen – but it did not disrupt their rhythm as a MacGinty penalty put them eight points ahead.
But Saracens clawed their way back into the game after Bristol winger Gabriel Ibitoye was yellow-carded for shoving Daly off the ball as he ran a support line following Elliot’s break, and Knight scored from close range, with Lozowski converting.
Both defences were under pressure, and Bristol scored again midway through a free-flowing first quarter, when replacement Benjamin Elizalde hopped off Lozowski and weaved his way through some sloppy tackling before throwing support runner Randall over for a stunning try.
It was nonstop entertainment, and another fantastic stretch of play began with Bristol attacking through full-back. Rich Lane’s long-range break came to an end when Daly freed Segun, whose superb finish was converted into a seven-pointer by Lozowski, putting his team ahead.
Bristol almost reclaimed the lead six minutes before halftime, but Fricker – who returned to the club as injury cover last week – was prevented by Daly’s magnificent cover tackle, which drove his foot into contact as he sought to dot down. However, the Bears promptly returned to the assault, with Harding scoring his second try, which MacGinty converted.
Saracens still had a chance to score more points before the break, but an angled Lozowski penalty finished a tense first 40 minutes with Bristol ahead 20-17.
Bristol came out flying in the second session, scoring after only 51 seconds as Ibitoye beat four players, offloaded with one hand, and Jenkins and Oghre combined before Harding completed his hat-trick.
MacGinty converted, and Bristol struck again just four minutes later when Saracens fly-half Alex Goode was sin-binned, this time from deep with another dazzling play finished by Fricker.
But Saracens rallied as Daly finished well, with Lozowski’s successful touchline conversion and subsequent penalty leaving his team behind 32-27 midway through the third quarter.
Bristol regained an eight-point lead thanks to a MacGinty penalty, but Saracens remained in contention as the game entered its latter moments.
And when Daly scored his second try with eight minutes remaining, which Lozowski converted from wide out, the game was back in the balance.
And Lozowski sealed the victory in dramatic fashion from the kicking tee after Ibitoye gave away an unnecessary penalty for playing the hand of replacement scrum-half Gareth Simpson as he attempted to pull the ball away in a ruck.
With two losing bonus points, the Bears will remain in the top four at the end of the weekend.
Bristol Bears: 15. Rich Lane; 14. Toby Fricker; 13. Jack Bates. 12. Joseph Jenkins, 11. Gabriel Ibitoye, 10. AJ MacGinty, 9. Harry Randall; 1: Ellis Genge, 2) Gabriel Oghre, 3. Maximum Lahiff, 4. Josh Caulfield; 5. Joe Batley. 6. James Dun, 7. Santiago Grondona; 8. Fitz Harding (c)
Replacements: 16. Harry Thacker; 17. Jake Woolmore; 18. George Kloska; 19. Joe Owen. 20. Ben Grondona, 21. Kieran Marmion, 22. Sam Worsley, and 23. Benjamin Elizalde
Saracens squad: 15 Elliot Daly, 14 Tobias Elliott, 13 Alex Lozowski, 12 Josh Hallett, 11 Rotimi Segun, 10 Alex Goode, 9 Ivan van Zyl; 1 Rhys Carre, 2 Theo Dan, 3 Marco Riccioni, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 5 Hugh Tizard, 6 Theo McFarland, 7 Toby Knight, 8 Tom Willis
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Phil Brantingham, 18 Alec Clarey, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Nathan Michelo, 21 Gareth Simpson, 22 Tom Parton, and 23 Brandon Jackson
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