Half-time: Bristol 16 Saracens 6

TWO tries from returning winger David Lemi helped Bristol toward a 10-point half-time lead over Saracens in the EDF Energy Cup.

But there was concern for head coach Richard Hill as lock Nathan Budgett was carried off on a stretcher with his right leg in a splint midway through the first half.

The Welsh lock was treated on the field for almost five minutes before being replaced by compatriot Robert Sidoli.

Bristol had made 13 changes from the side beaten 27-0 at Llanelli, with only centre Luke Eves and Matt Salter keeping their places as Hill took the opportunity to field his strongest available side.

And they took the lead on six minutes with an Adrian Jarvis penalty after Saracens had dived in at a ruck.

The 3-0 advantage soon became 8-0 when Lemi, back in the side after a wrist injury, continued where he left off before his absence by scoring a try.

Bristol won a penalty close to the Saracens line and opted to scrummage, before switching play to the left wing via Graeme Beveridge, Jarvis, Neil Brew and Vunga Lilo, who supplied the scoring pass for Lemi.

Jarvis missed the kick, and soon Saracens were back to within five points, Glen Jackson landing a penalty after the home side were guilty of blocking from the restart.

Bristol then lost Budgett with what appeared to be a serious injury, before Jackson kicked Saracens right back into contention with a second penalty, awarded for offside as Bristol desperately tried to regroup in defence after being carved open.

Jarvis, who had missed an earlier penalty and conversion, failed again when Bristol were awarded a penalty at a ruck to take his tally of missed points to eight.

But he kicked his side into an 11-6 lead when Saracens' Hugh Vyvyan was guilty of deliberately knocking the ball down 20 metres from his own line.

Bristol had a let-off when Saracens winger Rodd Penney dropped a Jackson pass 10 metres from the line – with only open space in front of him – and Jackson soon sent a penalty off target.

Jarvis then hit the crossbar with a penalty from an inch inside his own half – but Bristol were soon celebrating.

They added a second try after winning line-out ball and attacking with purpose, full-back Lilo leading the way before replacement Chris Ashwin's jinking run and a clever tap from Joe El Abd put Lemi in for his second try.

Bristol: V Lilo; T Arscott, N Brew (C Ashwin 39), L Eves, D Lemi; A Jarvis, G Beveridge; A Clarke, M Regan, J Hobson, R Winters, N Budgett (R Sidoli 19), M Salter, J El Abd (capt), D Ward-Smith. Reps: S Linklater, D Crompton, R Pennycook, H Thomas, M Turner.

Scorers: Tries – Lemi (2). Pens – Jarvis (2).

Saracens: A Goode; E Thrower, A Powell, A Farrell (capt), N Cato; G Jackson, M Rauluni; N Lloyd, M Cairns, C Visagie, T Ryder, H Vyvyan, B Skirving, A Saull, M Owen. Reps: A Walker, T Mercey, K Chesney, D Barrell, M Wilson, K Sorrell.

Scorers: Pens – Jackson (2).

Ref: G Morris (Wales).