Bath made a magnificent start to the game having total possession in the early moments and were awarded a penalty after two minutes, when John Rudd high-tackled Tom Cheeseman. Olly Barkley was told to kick for touch rather than take a simple three points. This was the right decision as Peter Short touched down in the corner as the Bath pack rumbled over the home try line. In all that time Newcastle never once touched the ball. Barkley missed the early conversion and a penalty kick a few minutes later.

Newcastle then got in to the game and made a series of attacks on the Bath twenty-two which eventually resulted in a penalty to the home side but Toby Flood borrowed Barkley's boots for the occasion and missed. The home side continued to take the game to Bath but, despite several penalties to gain territory, Newcastle struggled to make the most of their opportunities.

After soaking up pressure for some 20 minutes Bath scored a second try when, for the second week in a row, David Bory intercepted the ball from an opponent's wayward pass and had an easy run in to the posts. Barkley's conversion took the score to 0-12 and then it was half-time.

Newcastle hit back immediately on their return to the pitch after the break with a rolling maul that ended up with a try to Andy Buist. Toby Flood slotted his kick through the posts to make the score 7-12.

Bath responded five minutes later with a third try, set up by the forwards and finished off by Shaun Berne. Barkley's kick was caught by the wind to leave the score at 7-17. Newcastle then looked as though they would equalise shortly after the restart when Toby Flood split the Bath defence and was close to the line when Bath full-back, Michael Stephenson came to the rescue with a strong tackle.

However Bath couldn't keep out the next serious Falcon's attack when John Rudd broke the Bath line and fed Matthew Tait, who was able to beat Bory to the corner and score. A missed conversion made the score 12-17.

Newcastle maintained their attacking throughout the rest of the match but couldn't cross the line and it was Shaun Berne who scored the final points of the match with a drop-goal four minutes in to injury time. The game petered out and Olly Barkley kicked to touch on 86 minutes to enable the referee to blow for the end (of the season) with the final score standing at 12-20.

It's worth bearing in mind that Newcastle haven't lost at home since last October and, given Bath's poor away form this year, perhaps we are starting to see the team gel on the road.

See you all at The Stoop on the 19th.

Referee: Rob Debney

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