Bath win by a whisker at Worcester
By Nicola Curtis
September 2 2012
Nicola Curtis travelled up h M5 to see the season get under way....
On what eventually blossomed into a gorgeous sunny afternoon in the Midlands, Bath Rugby were hoping to get the new Premiership season off to a bright start, after their excellent pre-season against a trio of Welsh sides.
Sixways looked pristine in the sunshine, and was the perfect place to kick off the season (excepting the Rec, of course.) Perhaps the pressure of new coaches and the weight of expectation got to them, for Bath’s poor start felt depressingly familiar.
Worcester were the team with all the ideas in the opening minutes, and while not gaining much ground they kept hold of the ball nicely. They were beneficiaries of the referee’s whistle and were 6-0 up within five minutes and 9-0 up within 10. A bad start from Bath, but indicative of how the first half, at least, was to go. The referee was not only very whistle happy, but penalty happy; I had no idea what most of them were for, but then I’m not sure anyone else did either. We simply watched Andy Goode and Olly Barkley exchange kicks.
The first real notable event was a yellow card for Matt Banahan for deliberately knocking the ball forward in the middle of a Worcester attack, which allowed Goode another kick at goal, pushing Worcester to 12 points. Banahan wasn’t to remain in the sinbin alone for long; some handbags saw Stuart Hooper and Dean Schofield both receive 10 minutes.
Bath began what felt like their first attack of the game and received three points from a Barkley penalty. Barkley showed his class today, proving successful with every kick he was given, and there were plenty of them; all points in the first half came from the boots of the two fly-halves. Worcester led 15-6 by half-time in a game that saw no moments of fluidity or real moments of interest. It was almost entirely forwards led with the exciting wings Tom Biggs and Kyle Eastmond barely getting a look in.
Bath started the second half fairly well with Barkley’s boot drawing his team level at 15-15 before too long. Bath’s only attractive attack was slowed down and turned over by Worcester. There was a lot of forward power, but the backs weren’t clicking. However, Bath then took the lead for the first time in the game, through Barkley’s boot, of course. Worcester responded as all teams should aim to, by scoring a try as soon as possible. The home side were attacking the Bath line strongly and while Bath’s defence was admirable it couldn’t hold out. Goode’s kicking was beginning to weaken, and he hit the post with his conversion, leaving Worcester only two points ahead, 20-18. The last eight minutes were highly tense, another Barkley penalty taking the score to 20-21. It seemed as if a painful end was on the cards when Goode lined up to take a penalty with four minutes to play. Somehow he pushed it wide. He made up for this terrible kick quickly, when Bath were penalized yet again with two minutes on the clock. It seemed like a classic Bath loss, giving it away with just a few minutes remaining, and I could hardly believe my eyes when the referee held out his arm to indicate a penalty to Bath with 46 seconds or so to play. I genuinely couldn’t watch as Barkley lined up to take the kick that would win the game. I was hiding behind my hands as I heard the boot connect with the ball, and it was the cheers of the travelling Bath support that told me that the visitors had snatched it at the death.
It was an odd match, very nervy with neither team really taking hold of proceedings. Barkley was undoubtedly the man of the match, and deserves a big drink from his teammates. A win was extremely pleasant, but watching the match was not. It was a lucky result really and I am sure all at Bath know they will have to improve on that performance to succeed next Saturday at The Rec against London Wasps.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2012:09:07:11:15:45 by TCM2007.
Quote:Comeonmylovers.co.uk
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Thanks for the report Nicola - you summed up the tension at the end very well. I've just watched the Wasps game on Aviva Website - we'll need to step up a few gears to match that standard. Busy week a Farleigh I hope!
Good luck to Worcester I thought they played some lovely rugby and much improved from last season.
A hard match to write the report on- penalty after penalty does not provide the most enthralling of games!
I enjoyed the Worcester set up too- very easy to get to and pleasant fans. And sunshine too!
Ian
I do write professionally as it goes; sadly not about Bath Rugby though!
Quote:Blocks2u
Another succinct and informative report, you definitely have the knack for it; if you're not a professional you should be imho
I was hoping for comments like that.anyway tried my best.
Ian