THE intimidating cauldron that is Southmead’s rugby arena may have appeared a daunting prospect for North Bristol’s first game in five weeks.

The urgency of lower-table league points turned the game into a dogfight, sometimes irritable and physical, but always bruising and head-on.

A sin-binning in the second minute for Southmead’s tight-head brought a penalty success for North’s Dan Snow but it was another 20 minutes of scrappy play that ensued before Snow repeated the dose when fly-half Antony Jelf was tackled late.

Southmead’s determined approach up front gave them good position but their decision to eschew an easy penalty kick ten metres out summed up their poor options.

Their subsequent tap and go being knocked on also outlined their other failing on the day - an inability to finish from good positions and the moment was lost.

That North Bristol’s Snow kicked a goal from a dubious offside minutes later for a 0-9 lead merely rubbed salt into an already raw wound.

Connor Powell missed a penalty again for Southmead just before the break to send his side pointless into the interval after a strong ten minute period of play.

Southmead’s energetic restart produced early pressure but substitute kicker Dan Cotterell’s penalty miss perpetuated his side’s ill-fortune.

Alex Featherstone, Gary Charles and Scott Flannigan shone amidst North Bristol’s heroic defence.

A very late break-out by Martin Harrex, in his 250th game for North, eased the pressure but Southmead will wonder how such prolonged pressure from them could yield no points in a game that did not deserve the additional penalty of an extra 17 minutes.

North Bristol scorers: Penalties - Dan Snow (3) Merit Table Southmead II 0 North Bristol II 5 North Bristol’s strong and influential pack held the key to success in a hard-fought affair against a Southmead side who were willing to scrap to the last.

While Southmead had their own moments in attack, especially early on, North dominated possession and consequently territory as well.

Had they made fewer errors in their approaches to the try-line a wider margin would have been achieved.

From a lineout that Rob Collins and Mark Smith cleaned up, North’s driving maul was ever-dangerous.

In the 18th minute a strong drive induced a penalty before the subsequent lineout and further drive ended up with Sam Astall claiming the glory of a rare touchdown.

Soon after Kris Harris released full-back Nick Tatum for a touchdown but this was ruled out because of a forward pass.

The second half was largely North Bristol’s while any Southmead attacks were snuffed out by the dynamic back row of Collins, Steve Chappell and Danny Williams.

North came close with a rolling maul and again with a backs move but each time a fatal error at the last denied them.

North Bristol scorers: Tries - Sam Astall