Prop star Pam puts Bears clear with 40m solo score
BRISTOL held the Sharks at bay to clinch their fourth victory of the season at Shaftesbury Avenue.
Sharks were the first to threaten early on as prop Kate Houghton almost drove her way over the line but Kayleigh Powell was on hand to intervene for the Bears and win a vital turnover.
And after Sale lost possession from the lineout after kicking a penalty to touch, the Bears marched up the pitch to win a penalty of their own that was within Elinor Snowsill’s kicking range.
But Sale showed their resilience and were soon on the scoreboard with the game’s first try.
Quick-thinking from Katy Daley-McLean saw her take the tap-and-go and float a kick over to Lauren Delany, who jinked inside Wales wing Jasmine Joyce
to cross the whitewash and give Sharks the lead.
The hosts rallied before the break to quell the Sharks and take the upper hand.
First, Manon Johnes won a penalty at the breakdown to allow Lucy Burgess to peel off a driving maul and dart through a gap for the score.
Two minutes later, the Bears were over again through an arcing solo run by full-back Powell to score from 50 metres out.
As they trailed 17-5 to start the second half, Sale showed their intent to flirt with a comeback as they tried to grind down the Bears defence, but it was to no avail.
Simi Pam then showed that what full-backs can do, props can do too when she scored a solo try from 40 metres out, prior to Lisa Neumann’s consolation for Sale.