London Irish attacked immediately from the kick-off and secured a scrum under the Bath posts. The home side secured a free kick after the second scrum and drove over the line but the big Bath pack, led by Grewcock and Short, pushed them back. Ryan Davis cleared the Bath lines and somehow the visiting team kept the scores level. This early scare for Bath set the tone for the rest of the game.

However just as Bath had worked hard to deny Irish, Nick Walshe slapped the ball from his opponents hands at a scrum to give a 40 metre penalty to Irish debutant, Eoghan Hickey, to make the score 3-0 after five minutes.

The next play saw the Bath pack drive forward well in to the Irish twenty-two but the attack went pear-shaped as the backs failed to successfully ship the ball across their line to open up a scoring chance. The next Bath attack saw more errors, this time with Nick Walshe arriving late to a ruck and allowing the defenders to hack the ball away.

Bath had their first genuine scoring opportunity after 15 minutes when Grewcock won a lineout and fed the backs, Cheeseman broke free and forced Irish to concede a penalty. Shaun Berne pushed his penalty kick across the posts to keep the score at 3-0. This would not be the last missed pot at goal by the heavily mustachioed Aussie.

In the opening quarter Bath had enjoyed more possession and territory however they were unable to take advantage. London Irish looked far more dangerous with ball in hand but on several attacks they failed to stretch the Bath back-line.

Bath suffered their all to familiar injuries and Michael Lipman replaced James Scaysbrook after 21 minutes. Pieter Dixon was also taken off after 22 minutes and replaced by Rob Hawkins.

Bath gave away a penalty after 25 minutes for not rolling away at a ruck which Eoghan Hickey slotted home from 35 metres to make the score 6-0. Four minutes later Bath secured a penalty which they hoped would set up an attacking catch and drive but after a long lecture to Nick Walshe the penalty was reversed for dissent allowing the home side to clear the ball within 30 metres of the Bath line. This error of judgment really punished Bath when the first try of the match went to London Irish just after the half-hour mark following their own catch and drive. Hickey's conversion miss meant the score was 11-0 after 34 minutes.

Finally Bath scored a try through Ian Davey. Great passing play between Ryan Davis, Jonny Fa'amatuainu and Davey ensured the young winger was free to score. This try came moments after Davey had almost scored another try but chose to pass inside when he could have taken on the defence on their outside. 11-7 just in advance of the half-time whistle. A late 38 metre penalty for Bath was missed by Berne and denied Bath going within one point at the break.

Half time: 11-7.

Bath started the second half as Irish had the first, with a sweeping attack. It was started by Michael Lipman stealing from a ruck which didn't result in an immediate score but a Berne penalty after two minutes following an offside saw the score move on to 11-10. Bath then gave away a penalty of their own for both off-side and going in at the side of a ruck a few moments later and Eoghan Hickey thwacked the ball a very long way to extend the lead back to four points.

Aaron Jarvis appeared to turn his ankle after 51 minutes and hobbled to the bench and was replaced by Paulica Ion. Two minutes later Bath conceded a penalty in front of the posts after Stephenson denied the home side their penalty advantage by touching the ball down ahead of Topsy Ojo and Hickey took the score to 17-10.

David Barnes replaced David Flatman after 57 minutes as a tactical substitution. Daniel Browne replaced Zak Feau'nati and Nick Abendanon replaced Michael Stephenson as the game entered its final quarter. These changes seemed to positively shake up the visitors.

Bath scored their second try following a series of scrums which saw the West Countrymen drive over the try line. Referee Davey wasn't sure whether the score should count and it was his touch-judge who nodded his approval after a short debate. Shaun Berne finally found his kicking boots and kicked the conversion from near the touchline to level the scores. Unfortunately Bath immediately conceded a penalty for overuse of the boot at the restart and Eoghan Hickey punished them to give London Irish the lead once again (20-17).

Bath's final replacement, Michael Claassens, replaced Walshe with just over 10 minutes of the game remaining.

The second example of dissent being penalised in this game saw Bath awarded a penalty just five metres from the Irish line with eight minutes left. Bath were awarded a second penalty at the lineout after a further Irish infringement and again they opted for a catch and drive. The ball was caught by Short and the Bath forwards shoved over the line with Danny Grewcock scoring. Berne's conversion was unsuccessful, keeping the score at 20-22. However, Bath had finally taken the lead.

Bath then attempted to wind the clock down with possession football and were successful for some three minutes. But a stray visiting boot at a ruck saw them concede a penalty and it was another week of last minute nail-biting. London Irish took this opportunity to get deep in to Bath territory and were clearly hopoing Bath would concede a penalty. With the visitors successfully keeping their discipline in check Eoghan Hickey eventually tried for a drop goal but he missed and Nick Abendanon cleared in to touch and the referee blew his whistle for the end of the match. A Bath win 20-22.

Two of the Bath youngsters, Ian Davey and Jonny Fa'amatuainu had really good games with the lanky young forward names man of the match.

Referee: Sean Davey

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