The game, as have so many this season, hinged on two crucial mistakes by Leeds. The first came after 27 minutes with Leeds leading by 9 points to 6. Bath spun the ball out to the right some 30 yards from Leeds’ line, but Luke Watson shrugged off Rabeni’s weak attempted tackle and surged for the line. Henry Paul, somehow managed a last ditch tackle, but the support was good, and Stephenson picked up to crash over.

Before this Ford and Little had swapped penalties, and Myall, Fourie, Macdonald and To’oala had made promising breaks for the hosts, without threatening the line.

Another penalty by Little extended the lead, before Macdonald surged through and appeared to be tripped, but eventually Ford kicked another penalty, and before the half time whistle, both Ford and Gomersall were wide with attempted drop kicks, in an attempt to give Leeds what would probably have been a deserved interval lead considering the territorial advantage they had held in the first forty minutes.

Bath restarted and immediately Leeds were turned over, and this set the tone for the remaining 40 minutes. Leeds did regain the lead 5 minutes into the half, when Ford slotted over another penalty, but then both sides aimed for aerial dominance as the ball was hoofed, not very constructively, from one end of the pitch to the other, and replacements also interrupted the flow of the game.

Eventually a mistake came when Henry Paul dropped an easy pass, and from the ensuing scrum, the hosts were caught offside, and Little restored the lead for Bath. Joe Maddock, the best player on the field for me, almost increased the lead when he broke through, but Fourie chased him down, and there were still only two points between the sides

Bath were now enjoying the territorial advantage but home hopes were raised when Joe Ford found a magnificent touch with a 50 yard penalty to take Leeds back into the visitors 22. This led to crucial mistake number two, as instead of taking the safe option of keeping the ball and applying pressure, Rawlinson threw long, and the ball was lost. Bath cleared downfield, and another knock on saw Leeds defending again in their own half. When the ball came along the line, Lee Blackett instinctively stuck out a hand to stop the ball reaching Banahan, and referee Dave Pearson had little option but to award a penalty which Little converted to complete the scoring. Into added time, Leeds won a penalty. With running the ball the only option the first pass was ankle high, the ball hit the deck and the game was over. That last passage of play just about summed it all up.

It was disappointing for the majority of the 7,593 fans who turned up, but once again two silly mistakes proved costly. Leeds have no attacking options in the backs, looking for Rabeni seems to be their only plan. This is not working, and unless other variations come quickly, the outlook is not very good. Nobody could be faulted for lack of effort, and this week my man of the match award goes to Mike MacDonald for some big hits, and some foraging runs. Not the result we wanted, and it is going to be an uphill struggle now to stay in the Guinness Premiership. The players give 100% every week, but this alone is not enough. Our limitations were cruelly exposed today, against a side also struggling, and as long as we miss tackles, and give the ball away on our own throws, we will be punished.

Happy New Year to you all.

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