Dean Ryan was delighted to see Gloucester return to winning ways against Bristol – but he is confident they can still offer much more in 2009.

Gloucester ended the year on a high with a 29-10 win at the Memorial Stadium, securing a bonus point thanks to two tries in the final three minutes.

The victory kept Ryan's men firmly in the hunt for an all-important top-four place and was a return to form following their 42-12 drubbing at London Irish seven days earlier.

And with his side now seemingly up to speed with the Experimental Law Variations – and long-term casualties Akapusi Qera, Gareth Delve and James Simpson-Daniel all due back in the next month – Ryan is understandably positive heading into the new year.

"We're all right, but we're nowhere near there," said head coach Ryan, whose side sit third in the Guinness Premiership, two points behind leaders and neighbours Bath.

"We have had to come back a little bit from where we've been in previous seasons. We were very clear-cut about our game in the last couple of years, but clearly it didn't deliver the final prizes for us.

"We're trying to find different ways of playing the game, we've got some different individuals, and we have arrived at Christmas in good shape.

"That's not a bad return – and we have got a lot of key players to come back into the reckoning over the next few weeks.

"If we can push on from here, I think we've got a very good chance of staying in the mix as the season goes on."

Tries from Olly Morgan, captain Mike Tindall (two) and Lesley Vainikolo ensured maximum points for Gloucester, with David Lemi's try for Bristol proving little more than a consolation.

"The energy levels in the team went up after the second try and that is a credit to our players," said Ryan.

"Credit one is not to play suicidal rugby while we're sat at 10-3, which we were for a long time. The first thing was to win the game.

"But once the score went out to 17-3, we knew that the bonus point was on – so it was a credit that the players went and got those two late tries."