Gloucester (17) 26
Tries: Simpson-Daniel, Adams, Allen
Con: Paterson
Pens: Paterson, Walker (2)

Gloucester failed to fully capitalise on Leicester's defeat by London Irish but remain top of the Premiership after defeat at West country rivals Bristol.

Tries by James Simpson-Daniel, Jack Adams and Anthony Allen, put the visitors in command at 17-9 ahead.

But Scott Linklater and Jason Hobson touched down to give the hosts a 23-17 half-time advantage.

Gloucester's Willie Walker responded to two Jason Strange penalties with a pair himself, but Bristol held on to win.

606: DEBATE This is the sort of result which makes the Premiership such a good league navyblueshorts

The result takes Richard Hill's side 12 points clear of second-from-bottom Worcester, while the narrow margin of Gloucester's loss ensures they extend their lead over Leicester to two points courtesy of a bonus point.

With England trio Iain Balshaw, Lesley Vainikolo and Luke Narraway in their starting line-up, Dean Ryan's men dominated the opening stages and posted two tries in as many minutes after Strange had landed two penalties.

Simpson-Daniel claimed the opener when he rounded off a scything midfield break by Adams, and the wing then turned provider through a kick and chase that ended with Adams touching down.

Uncharacteristically, Chris Paterson missed both conversion attempts but made no mistake after Allen intercepted a wayward pass by Strange and sprinted 50 metres to score.

At that stage Gloucester were in sight of a try bonus point but Bristol's response stunned the league leaders.

Strange struck four penalties, two conversions and a drop-goal

Resorting to brute force up front, Bristol hooker Linklater profited from a superb line-out take and drive by lock Roy Winters, while Strange's conversion brought Bristol back to one point adrift.

Gloucester skipper Marco Bortolami was then sin-binned for pulling down a maul, giving Bristol enough time to take an unexpected half-time lead when prop Hobson ploughed over and Strange converted.

There was no immediate sign of a Gloucester recovery early in the second period after Strange and Paterson exchanged penalties.

Strange slotted a drop-goal 14 minutes from time before substitute Walker, who replaced a largely subdued Paterson, landed penalties in the 71st and 73rd minutes to reduce the gap but to no avail.

"We have players such as Nathan Budgett and Shaun Perry coming back and we can put 100% into the Premiership.

"If we can get into seventh place then it could be possible to sneak into the Heineken Cup next season."

"We have 10 or 12 internationals that just stroll into town and then we stroll into a car crash and then we are surprised by the nature of it.

"I don't accept that, and I don't expect that us being top of the league gives any sort of crumbs of comfort."

Bristol: L. Arscott, Robinson (Taumalolo, 56, Cox, 75), Higgitt, Hill, Lemi, Strange, O'Riordan, Crompton, Linklater, Hobson (Clarke, 77), Winters, Hohneck, Salter, El Abd, Blowers.
Replacements Not Used: Regan, Llewellyn, To'oala, Beveridge.

Gloucester: Balshaw, Simpson-Daniel, Adams, Allen, Vainikolo, Paterson (Walker, 54), Cooper (Lawson, 49), Wood (Dickinson, 69), Paul (Titterrell, 48), Nieto, W. James (Buxton, 64), Bortolami, Narraway (Strokosch, 48), Hazell, Delve.
Replacements Not Used: Foster.

Sin Bin: Bortolami (36).

Att: 11,418

Ref: Wayne Barnes (England).