Richard Hill said Bristol's 17-0 win over Stade Francais was their best result in the last five years.
Scoreless Stade sent packing in the West Country
Head coach Richard Hill said Bristol's 17-0 Heineken Cup win over Stade Francais was their best result in the last five years.
The Guinness Premiership club blew Pool Three wide open with their shock victory at the Memorial Stadium.
It was the first time the French giants have failed to score in their nine seasons in the competition, as Neil Brew's late try and four penalties from David Hill saw Bristol home.
Hill said: "It was probably our best result of the last five years.
"To beat the French champions rates as an outstanding achievement. Our front row did a superb job, and our defence didn't allow Stade any time on the ball.
Gamble
"We took a gamble playing against the wind in the first half, but the players worked exceptionally hard to make it difficult for Stade to come back.''
Bristol now sit two points behind group leaders Cardiff Blues and in with a fighting chance of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.
"We thought we might scrape something like a one-point or three-point win, but 17-0 wasn't anticipated at all," Hill said.
"Stade probably underestimated us a little bit, especially after we lost in Cardiff last weekend, and that has to go down as a terrific win.
"We were angry that we lost in Cardiff, but we learned the lessons from that defeat. When the pressure came on today, the players didn't make silly mistakes. We were much more composed.''
Dominating
Bristol won the game up-front, dominating Stade in the set-piece areas, which often resulted in the French side losing their discipline and handing David Hill the chances he needed to make them pay on the scoreboard.
The Bristol boss continued: "We had heard that Stade were worried about our forwards, and when you know someone is worried about you it gives you a little bit of an edge.
"We felt we could make a statement if we could beat the French champions on our own ground.
"We have to make sure no one comes here and wins, and this result will send a statement out. We really want to make to Memorial Stadium a bit of a
fortress."
