However hard Bath tried to write the script, this game was only going to be about one person. On arriving at Stockport two hours before the game, the place was busier than usual with 'The Friary' doing a brisk trade with both Sale and Bath fans alike. As the teams were announced the two biggest cheers were for Robinson and Chabal and they were both key players during this game, Chabal with the big hits and hard yards and Robinson for one moment of magic. 

From the kick off Bath attacked relentlessly and were all over Sale, but most of the running was lateral and with passes going to feet and into touch they lacked the cutting edge required to take advantage of this possession and territory. However Bath were helped throughout the game by some woeful touch kicking from Sale's No.10, Lee Thomas. 

Picture courtesy Empics

Finally Bath managed to convert advantage in to points when Sale infringed following a Bath attacking scrum and OB knocked over the ensuing penalty: 0-3 to Bath after 12 minutes. From the restart, however, Bath turned over their possession to Sale and Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (to give him his full name) charged through to score the first of Sale's tries. The conversion came from Thomas whose place kicking was better than his kicking out of hand, and from Bath having all the ball, they suddenly found themselves 7-3 down after 14 minutes. Sale attacked from the next re-start but knocked-on to give Bath a scrum on the half way line, Bath were awarded a penalty which OB missed to keep the score at 7-3. 

Sale's attacks were given more impetus by some sloppy Bath tackling but, defending on their goal-line, the Bath boys were resolute and managed to kick to touch. Sale won quick ball and attacked again but were turned over by Bath and much to-ing and fro-ing continued until Sale were awarded a penalty which Thomas knocked over for 10-3 after 27 minutes. 

A few minutes later Bath again infringed within range of goal and Thomas made no mistake, 31 minutes gone, Bath had majority of the ball but were trailing 13-3. The lead was reduced three minutes later with an OB penalty, and further reduced on the stroke of half time with another OB penalty. At half time, with the score at 13-9 both teams had all to play for. 

Picture courtesy Empics

The second half started brightly for Bath with a series of pick and drives out of defense which lead to a good attacking position, a chip through was missed but Bath had won a penalty. The game was held up for some 15 minutes with a serious injury to Michael Lipman. Attended to by several paramedics, he eventually left the field on a spinal board. During the wait the crowd behaved impeccably. 

At the restart Bath kicked for an attacking lineout from which Walsh darted through to score Baths first try. OB duly converted to give Bath a 13-16 lead after 45 minutes. Sale came at Bath strongly from the kick off and Thomas saw a drop goal attempt sail wide. Jonny F limped off having been struggling for a while. There followed a period of attack and defense as both sides tried to stretch each other and this was ended by a bullocking 40 yard run from Barnes, leaving wingers trailing in his wake, to score Baths second try on 55 minute, OB converted to leave the score 13-23. 

Sale missed a penalty on 58 minutes and then Bath defended well to keep out wave after wave of Sale attacks, which ended with a yellow card for one of the Bath replacements. A series of attacking five metre line-outs were stolen by Bath but the ball just kept coming back at them. 

Picture courtesy Empics

Finally the pressure told and the Sale winger, Selorm Kuadey, crashed over the Bath goal-line to score a try on 65 minutes, Thomas duly obliged with the afters to leave the scores 20-23 with 15 minutes remaining. As a sign of the nerves in the visiting ranks, the kick-off from Bath went straight into touch, but Sale were unable to capitalise and on 71 minutes OB had a chance to stretch the lead, but missed with his penalty attempt, a miss that was to prove costly. 

Bath appeared to have the game under control in the dying minutes and were clearly winding the clock down, but they reckoned without the magic of Billy Whizz. With 28 seconds left Sale had an attacking scrum on the Bath twenty-two. The ball came out on the Sale side and quick hands saw the ball move along the backline and into the hands of one J.Robinson esquire who only had to sprint a few yards and fall across the line to send 10 thousand screaming Mancs into ecstacy. 

As a fitting finale the ball was handed to Robinson for the conversion attempt, which he missed. See – I told you he was rubbish. 

Picture courtesy Empics

Bath are still win-less on the road, but the points make both teams safe. At least having a presentation after the match meant we could escape the cess pit that is Stockport in double quick time and its kind of fitting that Jason Robinson started his Union career with Bath and bowed out against them. I do wish he'd dropped the bloody ball, though!

Referee: Wayne Barnes

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Bath Poll