Sale 22 Bath 6
By Whaley Shark
March 31 2008
So we beat top of the table Gloucester two weeks ago. They’ve been replaced at the top by Bath, who are tonight’s visitors, so can we see them off as well? This is the third meeting of a possible four between these teams this season. The Whaley Shark dons waders, wet suit and scuba gear to find out.
March 31 2008
So we beat top of the table Gloucester two weeks ago. They’ve been replaced at the top by Bath, who are tonight’s visitors, so can we see them off as well? This is the third meeting of a possible four between these teams this season. The Whaley Shark dons waders, wet suit and scuba gear to find out.
The monsoon in Stockport must be late March, then. As I bought my Shirt Off Your Back tickets, the seller said cheerfully, ‘There’s a pitch inspection at 7.15. Keep the tickets if the game’s postponed’. I wandered into the ground to see three very depressed ground staff failing to mop up the ever-expanding puddles but, nevertheless, it was game on.
Sale take an early lead after putting Batch under early pressure. Lee Thomas chases a Wiggy box kick, the defender is penalised for holding, and Charlie makes no mistake from 35 metres out. Bath then kick the restart dead and from the scrum, we try to run the ball, Charlie puts up a high kick, but we knock on. We regain possession and work the ball to Oriol Ripol, who is stopped just short, but we win a penalty on the left and Charlie slots it. 6-0 after 8 minutes.
Bath still can’t restart- this one goes into touch- but we are penalised and they take a long kick for goal. It falls short, but we fail to clear and they run it back, keep us under pressure and win a penalty, which Shaun Berne kicks for 6-3 after 14 minutes.
There is then along spell, in which Bath keep trying to run the ball, and we keep them out with some solid defence. When we counter-attack, it’s through a mix of garryowens, chip kicks, grubbers, and the Bath defence seems to struggle a bit. It gets a bit tetchy, with Shaun Berne coming off after a bang in the mouth, and Steve Borthwick getting a telling off for taking people out in the air at the lineout. After twenty minutes of stalemate, we finally get into range and Charlie drops a goal. Bath restart, Ben Foden clears to touch, Bath win the lineout but then knowck on and from the scrum, 30 metres out, Charlie fires a cross kick to the left corner. The Bath defender takes it above his head, but the ball slips from his hands and Ripol is there to snatch it up and dive over. Charlie gets the conversion and we go in for half time 16-3 up.
Bath’s tactics change a bit in the second half. They use their forwards more, but the Sale defence is sound, and the Bath backs don’t seem to have too much penetration. After ten minutes, Charlie Hodgson and Olly Barkley exchange penalties. Sale nearly break through when Bath knock on and Charlie Hodgson kicks the ball on and chases. The defender falls on the ball and clings on for dear life, giving us an easy penalty for 22-6 on the hour.
Bath keep plugging away, but the Sale defence is generally sound. We have one scare when a Charlie Hodgson clearance is charged down, but Ben Foden just beats the Bath attackers to the touch down, and the chance has gone. Other memorable moments are a half break by Eifion, who looked truly appalled at the propsect of running 50 metres, and poor Will Cliff coming on at the death to replace Stu Turner.
Overall, a very workmanlike performance- good game plan, good tactics, good control. The conditions were dire, and we played them much better than Bath, so we always looked to be in control. The defence was rock solid, with Bath often being driven back behind the gain line. It wasn’t a pretty game but I left the ground in the pouring rain with a grin on my face. My man of the match- Lee Thomas, primarily for his aggressive defensive display.
Sale take an early lead after putting Batch under early pressure. Lee Thomas chases a Wiggy box kick, the defender is penalised for holding, and Charlie makes no mistake from 35 metres out. Bath then kick the restart dead and from the scrum, we try to run the ball, Charlie puts up a high kick, but we knock on. We regain possession and work the ball to Oriol Ripol, who is stopped just short, but we win a penalty on the left and Charlie slots it. 6-0 after 8 minutes.
Bath still can’t restart- this one goes into touch- but we are penalised and they take a long kick for goal. It falls short, but we fail to clear and they run it back, keep us under pressure and win a penalty, which Shaun Berne kicks for 6-3 after 14 minutes.
There is then along spell, in which Bath keep trying to run the ball, and we keep them out with some solid defence. When we counter-attack, it’s through a mix of garryowens, chip kicks, grubbers, and the Bath defence seems to struggle a bit. It gets a bit tetchy, with Shaun Berne coming off after a bang in the mouth, and Steve Borthwick getting a telling off for taking people out in the air at the lineout. After twenty minutes of stalemate, we finally get into range and Charlie drops a goal. Bath restart, Ben Foden clears to touch, Bath win the lineout but then knowck on and from the scrum, 30 metres out, Charlie fires a cross kick to the left corner. The Bath defender takes it above his head, but the ball slips from his hands and Ripol is there to snatch it up and dive over. Charlie gets the conversion and we go in for half time 16-3 up.
Bath’s tactics change a bit in the second half. They use their forwards more, but the Sale defence is sound, and the Bath backs don’t seem to have too much penetration. After ten minutes, Charlie Hodgson and Olly Barkley exchange penalties. Sale nearly break through when Bath knock on and Charlie Hodgson kicks the ball on and chases. The defender falls on the ball and clings on for dear life, giving us an easy penalty for 22-6 on the hour.
Bath keep plugging away, but the Sale defence is generally sound. We have one scare when a Charlie Hodgson clearance is charged down, but Ben Foden just beats the Bath attackers to the touch down, and the chance has gone. Other memorable moments are a half break by Eifion, who looked truly appalled at the propsect of running 50 metres, and poor Will Cliff coming on at the death to replace Stu Turner.
Overall, a very workmanlike performance- good game plan, good tactics, good control. The conditions were dire, and we played them much better than Bath, so we always looked to be in control. The defence was rock solid, with Bath often being driven back behind the gain line. It wasn’t a pretty game but I left the ground in the pouring rain with a grin on my face. My man of the match- Lee Thomas, primarily for his aggressive defensive display.
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