Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam admitted he was left feeling flat and frustrated after an enthralling 20-20 draw with Sale Sharks in the final home game of the Gallagher Premiership season.
Lam’s frustrations were mainly down to the disallowed Alapati Leiua try with nine minutes left on the clock, which would have put the Bears into the lead at a crucial time in the game.
The referee disallowed the try for an apparent off-the-ball scuffle involving Callum Sheedy and Sale’s Chris Ashton. It looked as if Ashton initiated the incident but the referee deemed it worthy enough to not award the try, much to the fans aggrievement.
“It was a massive moment in the game, Alapati’s try. It doesn’t make sense to me. Ashton initiated the scuffle, it wasn’t Sheedy’s fault that he became involved. It’s not our fault that Ashton has decided to take himself out of the game.”
The referee then preceded to award Bristol the penalty after the TMO decision, which was something that confused Lam and his coaching staff.
“I think everyone is talking about it. It doesn’t make any sense, it wasn’t our players’ idea to engage. I’ll find out what happened and we will go through the process.
Bristol Bears hit with top six blow after breathless draw against Sale Sharks
“It was an unusual one. Sheedy was taken out off the ball and Ashton decided to then cause it so it is a strange one. If he’s given us the penalty then why not give us the try? It doesn’t make any sense.”
Despite that decision, Bristol still had their chance to win, with Ian Madigan missing two kicks at goal late on to win the game, before Sale missed a kick of their own deep into stoppage time.
“That was a chance to take the lead but even then we had chances to win. The last play of the game, looking like we might lose, it hits the post and then we go all the way the other up the end. It sums up our season and the character of the boys.
“The feeling is flat, we got two points which is better than nothing, but we desperately wanted those four points.”
Bristol’s top six hopes have been dented but the chance remains there, should they beat Newcastle Falcons in two weeks’ time and results elsewhere go their way.
The Bears end the season at home with a record of six league wins, four defeats and a draw. The challenge now is to sort out the away form and, if they can, Bristol will most certainly push up the table next season.
