I've done everything in my power to delay writing this report. First and foremost I couldn't bring myself to write the report after the game because I just didn't have an appetite for it. Watching Bristol take the upper hand in almost every part of the game was more than I could bear so I watched crap TV all night as an antidote to thinking about the game. This morning I've delayed getting up, made breakfast, put out the rubbish and even hung out the washing to delay the inevitable but I can't put it off any longer.

There was a time when I'd assume Bath would win big matches because they were Bath. These days I start off assuming Bath will lose big matches because they are Bath and rarely do they disappoint. However did we get to this position? 

Picture courtesy Empics

Bath started the game like they were the team at the top and dominated territory and possession for the first 10 minutes. The forwards started to rampage and the backs looked as free as a prisoner who had just lost his shackles. They spread the ball wide and at pace but unfortunately couldn't turn this advantage in to points. Michael Stephenson showed his attacking flair with a jinking run through the Bristol defence and the play only halted when out of form Andy Beattie ran in to the back of Olly Barkley to give away a free kick.

A twelfth minute Barkley penalty opened the scoring for the visitors but all they could manage in the next 68 minutes was one more penalty, and that was just 16 minutes later. So Bath then managed to go 52 minutes without threatening to score. The one occasion they had a great attacking option, well in to the second half, saw the normally level headed Lee Mears dance a jig on the knee of Gareth Llewellyn at a ruck and so cost himself 10 minutes of bin time and lost his side a penalty just shy of the Bristol line. Mears left the pitch protesting his innocence only for Sky to show his activities in slo-mo: as this is so out of character let's put this down to the heat of the moment, but you cost us Lee!

The 10 point difference doesn't really reflect the overall domination Bristol had. Not withstanding their tries from Gareth Llewellyn and Lee Robinson they also just failed to score after a poor Shaun Berne clearance kick had been charged down and David Lemi's double movement on the Bath goal-line could as easily been awarded by a different TV Ref. Fortunately this one had both eyes open.

Picture courtesy Empics

It's worth reflecting on Robinson's try. Not just because of the brilliance of his strength and technique to get and ground the ball, like a Gridiron Wide Receiver, but also because it came from a defensive Bath scrum. Packing down just to the right of their own posts the Bath skipper, Zak Feau'nati , decided the best option was to pick up and go when a hoof upfield was the most obvious play to make. Inevitably he lost the ball and David Hill's cross kick gave Robinson a chance to score. Well played Bristol - shocking play Bath!

Other than in the opening 10 minutes the Bath backs looked one-paced and totally disorganised. Stephenson, on as a late replacement for the aching Abendanon, once again proved that an out and out winger cannot play full-back and the dream team of Shaun Berne, Olly Barkley and Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu had a nightmare. Had Chris Malone played as poorly as these three, his army of detractors would have been shouting for his dismissal from the club. With Bristol playing a very successful rush defence one had to wonder when Barkley's (renowned) rugby brain was going to kick in(sic) and start pushing them back with a change of tactics. 

Picture courtesy Empics

With the score (if not the game) still tight as they entered the last quarter this would have been an ideal opportunity for someone like Dave Ward to be introduced to inject some pace into the Bath forward game. Unfortunately Pieter Dixon was preferred on the bench which, in my opinion, really limited Bath's options. 

I can't bring myself to publicly congratulate the club of Bristol, but you have to admire what they are achieving this season. However I'm happy to say well done to Hilly and Haagy: top blokes and clearly top coaches!

Referee: Sean Davey

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