Gallagher Premiership: Bristol Bears move top of table with derby win at Bath; Leicester Tigers win at Newcastle Falcons

Bristol moved top of the Gallagher Premiership in bonus-point fashion as they defeated west country rivals Bath 36-26 at the Recreation Ground.

Bath’s first defeat of the season came after a dominant first-half display from a Bristol side inspired by flanker Santiago Grondona.

He scored two tries, while there were also touchdowns for full-back Max Malins, centre Benhard Janse van Rensburg and hooker Gabriel Oghre, with fly-half AJ MacGinty kicking four conversions and a penalty.

Bath, conquerors of Northampton and Leicester in their first two games, trailed 26-7 at half-time and they could find no real way into the contest despite tries from full-back Sam Harris, centres Will Butt and Ollie Lawrence and lock Ross Molony, while fly-half Finn Russell added three conversions.

Russell briefly threatened a fightback by orchestrating Bath’s best spell of the game, yet Bristol were always in the driving seat and claimed an impressive win on the road.

Newcastle Falcons 10-42 Leicester Tigers

Leicester Tigers scored seven tries to heap more misery on a struggling Newcastle Falcons side as they earned a 42-10 win at Kingston Park.

After a scrappy opening, the Tigers began to apply pressure and took a 20-3 lead at half-time before earning the bonus point after the break.

Newcastle scored their first try when Leicester received two sin-bins, but the visitors exerted their strength with a further three tries to bag a second win this season.

The result handed the Falcons their 24th straight defeat in the Gallagher Premiership and they remain bottom of the table.

Leicester were without head coach Michael Chieka due to a one-match ban.

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