Madigan on the mark as Bristol stun Saracens
Bristol 23 Saracens 21
IRELAND out-half Ian Madigan drilled a penalty with the last kick of the game as Bristol Bears claimed a dramatic last-gasp home victory over defending English Premiership Rugby champions Saracens.
Defeat by relegation threatened Bristol is a blow for Mark McCall’s men as they prepare to take on Munster in next Saturday’s European Champions Cup semifinal in Coventry.
A late Ralph Adams-Hale score had looked like it would be enough to get Sarries over the line at Ashton Gate in a hard-fought encounter. Bristol have not beaten Sarries since 2008 but this new incarnation of the Bears under former Connacht head coach Pat Lam are made of stern stuff and fought back one last time to claim a vital victory that keeps them clear of the foot of the table.
Tom Whiteley marked his first league start for Sarries with a fine try. Alex Goode slotted the extras, but Callum Sheedy replied with two penalties and it was only 7-6 to the visitors at the interval.
But in the second period, the Bears hit the front when skipper Steven Luatua went roaring over.
The conversion put them 13-7 in front but back came Sarries, Marcelo Bosch scoring his first try at the back of a maul.
Goode drilled the extras to put them back in front 14-13 but back came the Bears again despite being down to 14 men with Harry Thacker in the bin.
John Afoa went charging through the middle and found Dan Thomas on his shoulder and the flanker went over under the posts. Sheedy could not miss the extras and this topsy turvy game was now 20-14 to the hosts.
Sarries rallied again however, and it was Adams-Hale charging onto a Ben Spencer pass to get over and seemingly win it for the champions.
But the stage was set for Madigan, on for Sheedy, to send Ashton Gate into delirium.