The wind and the rain was in force, but the atmosphere from the 13,000 sell-out crowd created a very special environment that rivalled those legendary clashes with Munster over the last two seasons.

The Shoguns came out fighting and gave Gloucester the battle they expected. The experience of the Kingsholm club came through, with points from the boot of Henry Paul and tries from Andy Gomarsall and Alex Brown sealing a place in the semi-final.

Match Summary

3 mins:
Bristol looked dangerous early on when Stanojevic broke on the short side but was held up well by Goodridge. Seti Kiole came in and stole the ball to break clear.

6 mins:
Jason Strange missed his first penalty chance.

8 mins:
Stanojevic again pressured and went past Kiole on the wing. Gomarsall stole possession at the breakdown and cleared.

10 mins:
Henry Paul had his first penalty attempt, but it was just short from half-way.

11 mins:
A high kick from Kiole caused Bristol's Sean Marsden difficulties in his own 22, but the visitors managed to clear.

14 mins:
Goodridge put in a lovely skimming low kick to clear the early pressure from the Shoguns, as the Division One club threw everything at Gloucester in the opening exchanges.

15 mins:
Jake Boer, made up for last week's team performance, and was like a man possessed as he dived and won loose ball after Henry Paul had chipped ahead.

16 mins:
McRae tempted the Shoguns back-line and caught them off-side. Henry Paul lined up for the kick and slotted it to take the lead.

(3-0 to Glos)

18 mins:
Gloucester lost 10 metres at a penalty as Eustace gave referee Lander a few words.

19 mins:
The forwards drove the Bristol pack backwards from a line-out on the visitor's 22. Lander halted play and gave a foot-in to Bristol.

24 mins:
After a stunning opening quarter from the Shoguns, Gloucester started to take the battle to Bristol and McRae put Goodridge free out wide, he cut inside Stanojevic, and chipped ahead. But Marsden touched down over his own line. From the scrum Brownrigg was penalised and Henry Paul opted for the posts and slotted it (26 mins).

(6-0 to Glos)

Bristol got back into the game with a blind-side break from Ross Blake before Nabaro was taken into touch on the Gloucester 22.

30 mins:
Gloucester started to dominate possession with Bristol being penalised from their own clearance kicks, and Duncan McRae looking sharp with the quick taps. But Goodridge lost vital set-piece possession when he sliced a penalty kick to touch.

32 mins:
Bristol were penalised again for persistent off-side, this time it was Chris Morgan losing out in the battle of the forwards. Paul opted for the posts again and took Gloucester into a 9-0 lead.

(9-0 to Glos)

34 mins:
Jake Boer continued his massive game when he stole ball from Ollie Hodge at a Bristol line-out. McRae chipped ahead with Garvey chasing at full-speed. Bristol cleared up-field as the ball went into touch for a line-out.

36 mins:
Gloucester continued to dominate play in the Bristol half with Fanolua handing off tacklers as he made in-roads into the Bristol 22.

37 mins:
Bristol stood up well winning possession as McRae fumbled at stand-off.

38 mins:
Andy Hazell, possibly Gloucester's man of the match, was superb as he cleaned up a loose Bristol line-out and the Shoguns were then penalised for off-side.

40 mins:
Gloucester looked like they had run Bristol's defence ragged as McRae's high kick saw Fanolua off-load to Hazell. Paul took it on, then McRae, then Kiole.

Bezuidenhout drove straight ahead and Gomarsall switched play. Eustace found space in midfield and broke the first tackle, but was held up just two metres short.

Half time: Gloucester 9 Bristol 0

Second half:

42 mins:
Ollie Hodge started well for Bristol in the loose, but Marsden kicked straight to touch under pressure from a Henry Paul chip.

44 mins:
The Gloucester forwards drove Bristol back 25 metres from a line-out on half-way. Lander penalised the Shoguns and McRae opted for a drop as the referee's hand went up. It went just wide and play came back for a penalty. McRae went to touch, but the slippery ball was knocked on at the line-out.

Gomarsall pressured Ross Blake at the set-piece five metres out and forced the Bristol number nine to touch down behind his own line. From the Gloucester scrum the Bristol front-row stood up and conceded another penalty. They tapped it quickly and Gomarsall was quick to pounce with Andy Gomarsall touching down. Paul converted (48 mins).

(16-0 to Glos)

Eustace won line-out ball and the pack again took the Shoguns forwards back 10 metres. But the ball popped out and Bristol countered. Strange chipped ahead and Goodridge took the ball and chipped and chased. Gomarsall had gone down in the move and was replaced by Alex Page (blood replacement). Bristol had made ground by kicking to touch into the Gloucester 22. Bristol lost possession and Gloucester cleared through Goodridge.

54 mins:
Bristol stole Gloucester line-out ball but were penalised as El Abd went to ground.

56 mins:
The game continued at a frantic pace with Bristol scrambling for every ball and the hope of a cup upset.

58 mins:
McRae threw a tricky kick into Bristol's 22 and Stanojevic knocked on, and Gomarsall returned to play as the break in the game.

59 mins:
Jake Boer charged down Bristol's clearance five metres out as the ball squirmed into touch.

61 mins:
Kiole returned Strange's kick and burst through five tackles to be brought down just short of the try line. McRae went for a drop goal but it was just wide.

Olly Kohn replaced Ed Pearce and Neil Clark replaced Saul Nelson for Bristol. Pete Buxton came on for Eustace in the Gloucester line-up.

64 mins:
Gloucester again burst into the Bristol defence with the ball going out wide to Garvey. Bristol were penalised for coming in at the side at the breakdown. McRae went to touch five metres out.

67 mins:
Bristol's forwards upped a gear in the final quarter as the errors crept into the game in the wet and windy conditions.

70 mins:
Gloucester extended their lead as Terry Sigley did superbly well from a line-out just inside the Bristol half. Gomarsall was quick to the breakdown and chipped ahead, with Alex Brown chasing at full pace. He dived on it for the five points. Paul hit the post from out wide with the conversion.

(21-0 to Glos)

72 mins:
Gloucester got turnover ball as Bristol started to make mistakes running the ball out of defence.

75 mins:
Hazell was replaced by James Forrester

78 mins:
Page came on for Gomarsall, who went off with a dead leg.

80 mins:
Bristol gave it one last go with Blake chipping out of his own 22 after winning possession from Kiole. Ollie Hodge took it on, then Brownrigg extended their possession to camp on the Gloucester line. Fanolua flattened Stanojevic in the tackle, but Lander brought play back for an earlier penalty, but the Shoguns wasted the opportunity. Gloucester were awarded the foot-in under their own posts and Goodridge cleared.

Final score: Gloucester 21 Bristol 0