Head coach Richard Hill hailed Lee Robinson's 20 minute cameo from the bench as his best ever Bristol performance in yesterday's 25-21 defeat to Northampton in the European Challenge Cup, writes Matt Cain.

The winger crossed for one try and was involved in another as Bristol came close to snatching victory.

Hill's men won the second half 12-5 but, with two European matches left, cannot progress to the knock-out stages following this 25-21 defeat to the Saints.

The Bristol boss said: "I have not seen Lee Robinson play like that for a long, long time – if ever. He was very determined.

"We all know how big Lee is. If we were that size we would be smashing people all the time. He is a big, powerful man and that's how he should be playing.

"Lee is of the (Bath wing) Matt Banahan mould. It will be an interesting selection for next weekend."

Throughout his three years at the Memorial Stadium, Robinson has baffled the Bristol coaching staff – he has been sublime one moment and dreadful the next.

The former Plymouth barnstormer, though, has struggled to make any impact on the first team this season and went further down the pecking order following Mat Turner's arrival.

But, with Turner away and other wingers Tom Arscott and David Lemi not on form, Robinson could force his way into Bristol's starting line-up that travels to Worcester on Saturday.

Hill added: "Lee wasn't on form at the start of the season. We took him to one side and he seemed determined to fight his way back in but Mat Turner did very well when he arrived.

"He has been Jekyl and Hyde in all his games. We have analysed his games very carefully and talked to him.

"He is excellent for 50 per cent – he scores some fantastic tries but in the other 50 per cent he is dreadful. Lee just makes silly mistakes. He knows that.

"Lee will help the side in one respect but he will then undermine the team's performance and do something silly at the other end.

"To play in the Premiership you need to perform at 80 per cent. If you are a 50/50 split you become too much of a liability.

"On that performance, I don't think he put a foot wrong. That performance in the second half was a 100 per cent success rate."

The Bristol United match at home to Harlequins A tonight at Clifton RFC has been called off due to scheduling problems.