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An improvement on November at least!

Bristol City played 6 taking 8 points from a potential 18. Goalless draws against Swansea and Sheffield Wednesday, losses to Ipswich and Burnley, but then 2 cracking wins on the bounce to finish 2008 with a 4-2 away victory at Watford and a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace thanks to a strike by young Nicky Maynard. Home attendances have ranged from 16,000 upto 18,000 for the Palace clash and The Robins are now in 12th position, just 7 points away from the play off spots. January sees home games against top of the table Wolves as well as Barnsley and away trips to Doncaster and Plymouth. 3rd January is Bristol City's 3rd round FA Cup trip to premiership battlers Portsmouth. 5 points in November, 8 points in December, its moving in the right direction for sure.

 

Bristol Rovers picked up 4 points from 15 with a win over Tranmere and a draw away to Northampton. Losses were against Millwall, Stockport and MK Dons. This is double the points they picked up in November but they must do better. Rovers have 6 league games coming up in January and really need to turn their dismal form around. Home games are against Yeovil, Cheltenham and Colchester and away fixtures are Crewe, Leyton Orient and Southend.  They are currently in 16th place and 4 of these upcoming games are against opposition lower down the league from them. 10-12 points from the possible 18 would buy valuable breathing space and consolidate them in mid table and if they can do better than this maybe a race to the play offs might be on the cards.

 

Bristol Rugby - where to start! Whooped 66-3 by Northampton at Franklins Gardens in the European Challenge Cup led to Richard Hill playing a much stronger team in the return home fixture narrowly losing out 21-25 the following week. This season is now all about survival for Bristol Rugby in the Guinness Premiership and points need to be picked up regularly - even if just losing bonus points - to make sure they nick 11th spot and send Newcastle Falcons down. One of the two is sure to go. Bristol's battling spirit was definitely on show when Ed Barnes knocked over a last minute 30 metre penalty to pull a draw and 2 points from the game with Worcester Warriors, however Newcastle pulled off a draw with them as well the following week to re-extend the gap to 3 points. A loss to Gloucester finished off the year but not all gloom and doom! The Bristol board have managed to secure additional investments to keep the club going and perhaps even attract new talent to the race for survival in the New Year.

Richard Hill is optimistic as is part time Chief Executive Steve Gorvett (Bristol's No. 8 back in the '70s) and so should the Bristol faithful be. Rugby is important to Bristol, always has and always will be so if there is one game to support your team at this season it has to be th 13th February clash, home v Newcastle Falcons, a must win game for survival. Upcoming games for Bristol in January include away trips in the Premiership to Northampton and Saracens and in the European Cahllenge Cup to Toulon. The only home fixture in January is against Montpellier in the ECC on 25th January - a nothing game in terms of the Cup but the next fixture is the clash with Newcastle.

 

Gloucestershire County Cricket Club have annouced their fixtures for the season and the City will be hosting a One Day International between England and the West Indies on 24th May 2009. Tickets are selling fast - see further information here.

 

Ice Hockey has also returned to Bristol after a 16 year drought. The newly formed Bristol Pitbulls are playing at the John Nike Leisure Sport Bristol Ice Rink - or the Mecca as all Bristolians know it - and opened up their season with a thrilling 13-9 win over Isle of Wight team Vectis Tigers. Once further information is received their home fixtures will be uploaded to our events calendar.

 

All upcoming sporting events may be accessed through our events calendar - as well as City, Rovers and Bristol Rugby details of the Cheltenham Festival, Gloucestershire County Cricket Club fixtures and more are included. Click here for details.