Bristol 21
Moseley 22
In New Zealand, the country that has come closer to rugby fulfilment than any other, there is a phenomenon known as 'Paper Towns'.
The concept dates from the 19th Century and the years of settlement when pioneers journeyed from the Old World to the New in search of a healthier, wealthier life.
To lure immigrants to undeveloped parts of the colony, towns were added to maps before they were actually constructed, indeed - a bit like Moseley's mythical 5,000-seater stand, they never got beyond the planning stage. They were towns on paper alone.
And so Kevin Maggs's eclectically-assembled back-line was beginning to look like a Paper Threequarter Cordon. Something we've heard a lot about without ever actually witnessing.
The multitudinous talents of will-o'-the-wisp fly half Glyn Hughes, cleaving midfielder Charlie Hayter, wrecking ball centre Greg King and silk-smooth wing Simon Hunt were brought together to form a mouth watering prospect. On paper, at least.
And so the first four games of the new RFU Championship season passed with those reputations fizzling rather than firing, the odd piece of individual brilliance papering over otherwise disappointing collective efforts.
But with ten minutes remaining in this incident-packed Friday knockabout all that changed as Moseley, 21-12 down and seemingly out, launched a devil-may-care attack from a scrum near their own line.
The ball was whizzed through their hands, each pass timed to perfection to create a gap and usher a rampaging team-mate through it that rendered Bristol's presence meaningless.
Hughes, to Hayter, to King, to Hunt. Hughes again on half way and back to Hayter at such a spiteful, merciless angle that no Blue and White striped shirt could get near him. "That was try of the season," purred the head coach as paper, turned to scissors turned to stone and Bristol were rocked on their heels.
Hughes, back to his impish best, converted and then added a last minute penalty after the glass-jawed home side went off their feet in front of their sticks. Mentally they were shot.
Moseley had their second win of the campaign, one of their most impressive for several seasons and the much-vaunted back-line was no longer dangerous on paper alone.
Hughes will rightfully take most of the plaudits, as well as making a couple of breaks for Hayter's score, he made two others that led to tries for himself.
He also overcame a couple of missed goals to finish with three from five attempts and a personal haul of 17 points and finally resembled the assured young man who came, dual-registered from Northampton Saints last term.
Moseley are 20 per cent better when the 20-year-old plays as he did here.
But even this morale-boosting performance would not have been possible without a quite breath-taking effort from the kiddies up front.
With Addison Lockley and Buster Lawrence leading the way to the sweetie-shop Moseley's energy levels were in stark contrast to the begrudging displays of a few weeks ago. The boys are growing into men.
And there is still much scope to improve. Maggs pointed out afterwards that Moseley's tries were still a bit smash and grab, not the product of calculated multi-phase play.
Even so, with its new-found solidity Mose's back-line showed that one-phase is enough.
BRISTOL: McIlwaine; Edwards, Eves, Mosses, Williams; Roberts, Tipuna; Davis (Lilley 55), Lawrence R, Douglas (Thompson 50), Sambucetti (Glynn 55), Townson, Grieve, Pennycook, Eadie. Replacements: Channon, Uren, Gindal, Jones
MOSELEY: Thomas (Carter 64); Hunt S, King, Hayter, Hunt B (Robinson B 64); Hughes, Brown (Day 54); Waller (Meddick 74), Caves (Wilkes 54), Voisey, Lockley, Lawrence B, Mason, Robinson O, Pienaar (Burrows 59). Replacement: Mather
Referee: Ross Campbell (RFU)
