Leicester Tigers and Bristol Bears played out a 26-all draw at Ashton Gate in Round 12 of the 2022/23 Gallagher Premiership season.
A missed penalty-goal attempt for the Bears in the final play of the game ended the home side's hopes for a second-half comeback, which included two tries in the final 15 minutes when Leicester were down to 14 men following a red card for Francois van Wyk.
The Bears were first to score, six minutes into the evening encounter, when Semi Radradra crossed on the end of a sweeping play to the left.
Back-to-back penalty goals from Freddie Burns took the visitors into the lead approaching the end of the first quarter in Bristol before the home side took back the lead with a try for Charles Piutau and conversion from Calum Sheedy.
Approaching the half-hour mark at Ashton Gate, Semi Radradra was sent to the bin for a high tackle on Burns and the visitors made the most of the extra man almost immediately when Dan Kelly scored in his first appearance of the league campaign.
Chris Ashton found his way over the chalk for his 98th Premiership try just four minutes later when the winger injected himself into an attack on the left-hand side of the field.
Tigers crossed for their third in the final stages of the first half when Julián Montoya crashed over at the back of a well-executed driving maul from close range and Burns - who had just returned after passing his HIA from the Radradra hit - landed the conversion from out wide to see Leicester lead by 11 at the break.
Neither side bothered the scoreboard attendant in the first 22 minutes of the second-half before Burns added three to the Tigers tally from the kicking tee and then saved a certain score for the home side with a try-saving tackle in the corner.
Back-to-back scores for the home side levelled the match at 26-all, where it remained after AJ MacGinty missed a chance to secure a comeback victory with a long-range penalty-goal attempt in the final play of the game.
Commentary
NOTHING BETWEEN THEM
The game finishes level at 26-all here in Bristol.
CON | BRISTOL BEARS
We are level at 26-26 with two minutes left on the clock.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
The home side score down the right hand touchline to level it up with three minutes remaining.
DOUBLE SWITCH
Julián Montoya and Harry Wells are replaced in the pack by Charlie Clare and Eli Snyman with 10 minutes on the clock.
RED | FRANCOIS VAN WYK
Tigers down to 14 men for the remainder of this game after Francois van Wyk is shown a red card.
CON | BRISTOL BEARS
The difference is now seven points with 15 minutes remaining after the successful conversion attempt.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
A patient build-up from the home side, ruck by ruck, and they go over from close range.
REPLACEMENTS MADE
George Martin, Joe Heyes and Harry Potter have been brought into the action by Steve Borthwick in place of Tommy Reffell, Dan Cole and Dan Kelly
62
TRY-SAVER
Freddie Burns with a try-saving tackle in the right hand corner, forcing Bristol into touch after they regather from the re-start.
PEN | FREDDIE BURNS
The lead is out to 14 points with 18 minutes remaining as Freddie Burns adds three from the kicking tee.
58
ELEVEN POINTS
No change to the scoreline from the break with eleven points still the difference here in Bristol approaching the hour mark.
FIRST CHANGES
Our first changes of the night are made as Jack van Poortvliet and Francois van Wyk are injected into the game in place of Ben Youngs and James Whitcombe.
48
FIRST OF THE NIGHT
Approaching the 50th minute of this match and we concede our first penalty of the match.
45
FAST START
Both sides have come out looking to play after the break here in Bristol.
BACK IN ACTION
The second chapter of this one is about to be written as Bristol Bears get us underway after the break.
HALF TIME IN BRISTOL
It's an eleven-point lead for Leicester Tigers at the break over Bristol Bears.
TRY | JULIÁN MONTOYA
Approaching the break, Julián Montoya crashes over for our third at the back of a well-executed driving maul from a 5m line out.
36
CONVERSION MISSED
We lead by four points with as many minutes remaining in the first half after the conversion attempt is waved away.
TRY | CHRIS ASHTON
Chris Ashton goes over down the left, chiming into the backline after a patient build-up from the pack sets up the chance deep inside the Bears end of the field.
30
CONVERSION MISSED
Charlie Atkinson, who has come on for Freddie Burns who is off for a HIA, misses the chance to add two points as we tick past the half hour mark.
TRY | DAN KELLY
In his first appearance of the season, Dan Kelly crashes over for our first try of the night after running a brilliant line from close range.
YELLOW |BRISTOL BEARS
Semi Radradra is shown yellow and sent for a 10 minute break after a high shot on Freddie Burns, who has been taken from the field for a HIA.
CON | BRISTOL BEARS
The home side extend their lead to six points after 24 minutes as Calum Sheedy converts their second try from out wide.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
The home side have a second, through Charles Piutau, after moving the ball quickly through the hands to the right on the back of a line-out deep inside the Tigers half.
PEN | FREDDIE BURNS
We are in the lead, by just the lone point, after 20 minutes as Freddie Burns sends his second penalty-goal attempt through the posts.
20
PRESSURE PAYS OFF
A chance to add to our tally, with a penalty awarded in front of the posts, and take the lead after pressure in attack pays off deep inside the Bears half.
PEN | FREDDIE BURNS
Our first points of the evening come through the boot of Freddie Burns, landing a penalty-goal from near in front to cut the deficit to two points after 16 minutes.
10
TERRITORY BATTLE
Both sides searching for territory early on here in Bristol on a fast track.
7
CONVERSION MISSED
The conversion attempt fades away from Calum Sheedy, seeing the difference remains five after seven minutes in Bristol.
TRY | BRISTOL BEARS
The home side are the first to register points, through Semi Radradra, after finding space out wide with some quick hands to the left touchline.
KICK OFF
Freddie Burns gets us going under the lights at Ashton Gate...
0
NOT LONG NOW...
We are just minutes from getting underway in Bristol as both sides complete their final preparations on the Ashton Gate pitch.