Bath give faithful reason to celebrate
Bath………………………………. 27pts
Tries: Reid 19, Dunn 36, Redpath 66
Conversions: Worboys 20, 37, 67
Penalties: Worboys 65, 73
Northampton…………………14pts
Tries: Collins 52, Graham 70
Conversions: Grayson 53, 71
BATH snapped their losing streak with a fine win over Saints that was founded on tigerish defence and a new found attitude that will greatly encourage new coach Johann van Graan and their loyal supporters.
With a major legal breakthrough this week which should finally enable Bath to redevelop The Rec, life is suddenly looking a little rosier for the Bath faithful who have never stopped believing. Now there is a little more substance to their optimism.
Defence hasn’t necessarily been Bath’s strong point during these difficult times but they were steely and organised throughout a fiesty first half when Saints in fact dominated territorially without garnering any points.
There were a couple of big turnovers at the breakdown as Northampton laid siege to the line and the tackling was crisp and efficient. All of which was amply rewarded when they finally got a foothold in the game and scored tries from their two visits to the Northampton 22.
The first came after that man Ollie Lawerence, so good at Sarries last week, had sparked a counter attack after a long period of Saints pressure and this was taken on and improved upon by Cameron Redpath who sold a glorious dummy in midfield to connect with the charging Miles Reid who stormed over for an excellent converted try.
And the second had its origins from a turnover right on their own line which Bath and in particular the audacious work of Josh Bayliss and Joe Cokanasiga who ran the ball out from under their own posts.
After storming upfield from that counter attack Bath won a penalty and laid siege to the Saints in a series of lineouts. They were not to be denied and eventually it was skipper Tom Dunn who barged his way over from another lineout rumble for an important score.
Saints threatened yet again before this break. Ollie Sleightholme sprinted over only to be pulled back for a marginal knock on by Dave Ribbans and James Grayson delayed his pass too long with an overlap begging. Somehow it was Bath who went down the tunnel 14-0 to the good.
Could Bath’s defensive resolve continue? They have been known to go AWOL and concede a stack of points in quick order in recent times but they came out for the second half still snorting defiance and within 60 seconds had again claimed a vital turnover as Saints again pounded their line.
Bath could not afford to relax as a well worked Saints try in the 52nd minute demonstrated with Alex Mitchell injecting some tempo in their attack with a tapped penalty before they recycled right to left with quick hands sending Tom Collins in for his fourth league try of the season.
The game was on a knife edge again but a Worboys penalty steadied the home side and the introduction of former Worcester captain Ted Hill added some firepower up front for the final exchanges.
Another score would surely do it and that’s what Redpath duly conjured up when he seized on some rather obvious passing in Saints midfield to intercept and race away 50 metres or so to dive over to much acclaim.
Replacement Sam Graham did muscle his way over for a second Saints try but a late penalty for Worboys sealed the deal.
