Coventry came within seven minutes of a famous victory over the league leaders which would have taken them to joint top of the table.

It needed a penalty goal seven minutes from time for Bristol to beat their old foes, but they know they came within an ace of losing.

Coventry, victors in their last five matches, rated this match as their toughest of the season to date and they were disappointed at the final whistle to have let it slip away.

'Cov' took the lead in the 21st minute with a superbly judged long range penalty kick by Steve Gough, but Bristol led at the break with two penalty goals by David Knox.

The visitors levelled it three minutes into the second half with another penalty by Gough, but then they were made to pay for a rash piece of play.

Coventry's game is all about moving the ball through the hands, but it has to be done at the right time and Gough chose the wrong moment. He tried to run with the ball near his ownb line and was engulfed by the eager Bristol forwards.

The ball was wrestled away and left winger Adam Larkin plunged over for the only try of the match.

But Gough made amends with two more penalty goals to make it 12-11 and they looked capable of holding on for the narowest of victories only to pay the penalty for a moment of indiscipline. Knox kicked the winning penalty goal.