Bath Win At Last, Phew!

By Glen Leat
September 18 2004

Bath finally got their season back on track with a narrow 26-22 win at Worcester. Mind you this was no easy win and with Glawster beating Northampton at Franklin's Gardens, Bath still have a long way to travel if they want to start playing up with the big boys come the end of the season.

Bath move from the foot of the table up to 8th place on the strength of this win, although Wasps, Leeds and Quins still have to play this week-end and so it is likely we will slip back down a bit, though at least we won't be at the bottom. 

It was good to see Olly Barkley back in a Bath shirt from the off and he showed his worth with the boot by scoring 16 points in this tight match. Brendan Daniel scored in the first minute to give all of Bath hope that their team would make this game their own and put all the demons behind them. Things improved even more when Mike Tindall fell on the ball in the goal area to take Bath half way to an important bonus point. But it was not to be and despite leading 20-12 at half time Bath lost the second half to squeeze through at the end by four points.

Worcester made a number of changes in readiness for the visit of Bath. Thinus Delport made his full Premiership debut for Worcester, replacing Daren O'Leary who moved to the wing. In turn, O'Leary took over from Ben Gollings and Brad Macleod-Henderson started at number eight with club captain, Ben Hinshelwood returning to the bench.

Worcester scored a second-half try from Thomas Lombard and Tommy Hayes scored five penalties and a conversion, but they couldn't build on this to gain their first win of the season.

Bath will be keen to see how Harlequins do tomorrow away to Newcastle to see what their chances are at the Stoop next week. This is a tough one to call but Bath must build on today's win and see it as a stepping stone towards better performances and improved results.

 

Worcester: Delport, O'Leary, Hayes, Trueman, Lombard, Brown, Cole, Windo, Daly, Fortey, Collier, Gillies, Greeff, Sanderson, MacLeod-Henderson.
Replacements: Sparks, van Niekerk, Murphy, Hickey, Stuart-Smith, Hinshelwood, Roke.

Bath: Maddock, Crockett, Fleck, Tindall, Daniel, Barkley, Wood, Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Walshe, Mears, Stevens, Davey, Best, Delve, Fidler.

Referee: D Pearson