Wrong Day For Barkley To Forget His Kicking Boots
Clouds Over Rec
By Glen Leat
February 1 2003
Bath played perhaps the worst Tigers team in a decade and still managed to lose 8 - 15 in a game that was full of errors by both teams. Poor Olly Barkley, he keeps us in games all season with his fantastic kicking and today could only manage to slot home one from six attempts.
Having already lost five away games this
season the Bath fans and players knew this
was their best chance to get one over the
old rival, and for most of the game it looked
as though the home side would win. But as
we have found all season, we play well enough
in midfield to win a game and then make elementary
mistakes which set up victory for our opponents;
this time it was another of those "great
when they come off but liable to set up an
error" type long passes from Mike Catt.
On this occasion Bath were (almost) cruising
through the first half 8 - 3 ahead when up
pops the Cattmeister with his "rush
of blood" pass and instead of one of
the Bath centres dashing off down the field
with ball in hand it goes to Ben Kay who
gallops 50 yards up-field to score under
the posts. Can't we do anything right?
Leicester had first shot at goal after just
four minutes when Bath were penalised for
handling in a ruck but Murphy scuffed his
kick well wide just outside of the Bath twenty-two;
this ridiculous miss should have given a
heavy hint to the Bath players that this
could well be their day. Within three minutes
of this shocking miss Olly Barkley managed
to miss a penalty of his own as the Tigers
were penalised for pulling down a Bath maul.
But soon Bath were in front after Catty kicked
a long ball over the defending Tigers, Leon
Lloyd's clearance kick was blocked and from
the ensuing play Bath got an offside penalty
and Barkley kicked his only goal of the game
to put the home side 3 - 0 ahead.
Bath were by now totally controlling the
game and it was no surprise when they scored
a try on 23 minutes. It started with the
dependable Adam Vander taking a bobbling
ball from a Leicester line-out and Mike Catt
chipping over the top towards Murphy. The
full-back was caught by the chasing Simon
Danielli who forced a pass to Leon Lloyd.
The winger panicked and threw a pass to nobody
which enabled the predatory Danielli to grab
the ball, shake off a tackle and run for
a 8 - 0 score and what should have been a
marvellous platform on which to build an
important victory. But it never happened
and this was to be the last time Bath troubled
the scoreboard. Can you believe it, Bath
are playing the worst Leicester side we can
remember and we don't score after the twenty-third
minute!
Bath had further penalty attempts at goal
after 26, 32 and 35 minutes and none of them
were difficult given Barkley's track record
this season. Mind you Leicester were no better
and missed several easy penalties of their
own.
At this stage Leicester were not in the game
but on the half-hour Catty decided to offer
them a chance to get back in to it and from
a 8 - 0 lead Bath were pulled back to an
agonising 8 - 7. Martin Johnson was binned
after 35 minutes for a professional foul
and he did not protest too much; but what
was more interesting in this game was how
poor the Tigers line-out was on a regular
basis. We have been used to Leicester playing
to a tight line-out game with Johnson dominating
but, excepting his foul, the England skipper
was largely anonymous; it was his younger
partner who certainly stole the Leicester
show and he kept Grewcock busy all afternoon
(except of course when the Bath captain was
tangling with Leon Lloyd). Come on Danny,
stop messing around with these fringe incidents
and concentrate on getting your forwards
dominating the game.
Spencer Davey, who had a very solid game,
thought he had scored on half-time but referee
Pearson decided otherwise and opted for a
Tigers drop out. I was somewhat surprised
at the lack of added time, at dead on 40
minutes Pearson blew his whistle yet we had
had several injury breaks and the time taken
to bin Johnson must have added at least a
minute.
Bath continued to press in the second half
but could not take advantage; what really
frustrated me was the number of players out
of position. I'm sick of seeing forwards
on the wing when they should be in where
it hurts and I could have cried with frustration
when John Mallet picked up a pass in a very
promising attack and decided to act as more
than a link in the chain. Instead of tossing
the ball to someone who can make the ball
work for them he thought he would have a
trot forward and ended up being penalised
for crossing - burke!
For me David Barnes was once again the Bath
forward of the day, playing with a zest that
could embarrass some of his better known
colleagues. At one time Barnsey put in a
crunching tackle on Tuilagi and turned the
spilled ball in to Bath possession - I suggest
that a few others watch the video tape of
David Barnes and use him as a role model
for the rest of the season.
Leicester scored again through Geordan Murphy
and Bath ended up losers in a game they should
have won. The Shed must be rubbing their
hands with glee at the prospect of their
hardened professionals facing this bunch
of innocents next week. Anyone willing to
risk a few quid on an away win? Remember,
never gamble more than you can afford to
lose!
Let's look at the result of your prediction
for this game:
|
61%Let's have a look at the latest league table.
So what did you think of the Bath players
in this game? Vote by clicking on to here
| Scores Bath 8
Try: Danielli Pen: Barkley Leicester 15
Tries: Kay, Murphy Con: Murphy Pen: Vesty |
Bath:
15. Matt Perry 14. Simon Danielli 13. Spencer
Davey 12. Kevin Maggs 11. Olly Barkley 10. Mike Catt 9. Gareth Cooper 1. David
Barnes 2. Jonathan Humphreys
3. John Mallett 4. Steve Borthwick 5. Danny
Grewcock 6. Andy Beattie 7. Adam Vander 8.
Nathan Thomas