Last week the clocks changed bringing us the anticipation of brighter days ahead. But at Ashton Gate on Friday night it was as if time stood still, as at a pivotal moment all but one looked and waited for a ball to bobble out of play.
While most stood transfixed, Clermont’s world class winger Damian Penaud made the jump to light speed to reach a ball that was millimetres away from trundling over the dead ball line. As Siva Naulago hovered, Penaud pounced and for the Bristol faithful it felt that split second had effectively signalled the end of our season.
Credit to the boys who kept fighting to the final whistle, but this was another game that could have been won that effectively slipped through our grasp with two gift-wrapped tries conceded towards the end of both halves.
