This was always likely to be a game about Chris Malone because sporting decisions have an nasty habit of returning to haunt the decision makers. However instead of suffering humiliation at the hands of a player released at the end of last season many Bath fans will have walked away from the ground confident that parting with the amiable Aussie was the right decision.

Malone was sometimes a match winner with last-gasp drop goals for Bath but many felt his limited, safe game was largely responsible for preventing the development of some of the most exciting backs in the league. In this match Malone hardly had any opportunity to make the most of his kicking skills and his limited game management ensured the home side dominated for three of the four quarters. Scuffing the restart after Michael Stephenson scored Bath's second try must have been more painful than Malone could bear and summed up his afternoon.

Jonny Fa'amatuainu showed excellent control in the lineout

It took almost 30 minutes for either side to trouble the scoreboard operator and Shaun Berne's half-way line penalty broke the deadlock. Prior to this score Malone had two relatively easy penalty opportunities to put Quins ahead but he fluffed them both. Despite dominating territory and possession for much of the opening 30 minutes Bath failed to cross the line to score. 

But this was a Bath side trying to play open rugby and part of the reason for a lack of success in this opening period was the fact they were playing a fast, expansive game, often right on the edge of success and failure. It was truly exciting to watch. The pace of both backs and forwards and their inter-play was dynamic and I can't remember a time in recent seasons when I've been (positively) on the edge of my seat yet we were failing to score.

Despite the lack of scores I was confident everything would slot in to place and so wasn't too concerned. The change in approach at Bath was summed up for me when Zak Feau'nati palmed Chris Malone's restart, after Shaun Berne's penalty, to Nick Abendanon to set up a counter attack from the Bath twenty-two. In the past this would have been a bread-basket catch followed up by a ruck and clearance to touch. Brilliant! 

The Bath defence was tight as a drum when needed and attack was based on quick sweeping moves with players demonstrating their confidence with the ball. I know we keep saying it, but I have to say again that Michael Claassens has speeded up our play so much we are finding it easier to place opponents on their back foot thus creating openings denied us for two many years.

Chris Malone was not assured with the boot

Jonny Fa'amatuainu was the main man in many line-outs, which shows the confidence his coaches have in him, both securing possession for his team and disrupting the Quins' throws. He has come on leaps and bounds this year and after criticising him for appearing lightweight in previous games I'm happy to admit this lad has far more to offer than I ever thought. Not only is he putting in strong tackles (ask Chris Malone, who was clobbered as he juggled the ball), he has a galloping stride that makes him difficult to catch or tackle and he gained acres of ground on numerous occasions.

In the space of eight minutes Bath scored two tries to Quins' one and suddenly it was "game on". Peter Short's opening try came from a Bath lineout, won by Jonny F, which saw Claassens feed Stephenson who attacked the line with great pace. Claassens and Davis then moved the ball back the other way and, despite a wayward Quins' hand trying to disrupt play, Peter Short picked the ball up on the edge of the Quins' red zone and dashed like a sprinter to the line. Cracking try! Shaun Berne followed this up with a touchline conversion.

The Bath forwards were powerful in loose play all afternoon

Michael Stephenson's running may have set up the first try but it secured the second five minutes later. But before we get to the try, mention should be made of Bath's chasing game a few minutes earlier because this should have set up another the try scoring opportunity.

Berne hacked forward to the edge of the Quins' twenty-two and Mike Brown fumbled. In a flash three Bath players were on top of the full-back and Michael Lipman ripped the ball free only for Jim Evans to run across the path of the pass to spoil the move. This happened right in front of me. The referee and touch judge were not too far away either. The referee could have awarded Bath two penalties, one for Brown hanging on to the ball for too long before Lipman ripped it free and the other for Evans cynically obstructing Lipman's pass. The referee awarded neither but instead gave a scrum to Quins. Hopeless!

Stephenson's try came after Bath won yet another lineout and Claassens quickly fed Ryan Davis, who passed on to Berne who missed Cheeseman but found his winger hitting the line like an express train. The Quins' defence was all over the place and Stephenson's grin after the score said it all - perfection.

Bath's attacks were strong and purposeful but they should have secured the extra scoring bonus

Bath were caught cold from a free kick and Steve So'oialo scored Quins' only try of the game just on half time. Bath could have retaliated immediately after half-time when Ryan Davis was tackled just short of the try-line after a beautiful dash following a clever off-load from Lipman.

Harlequins then had their best passage of play in the third quarter of the match but a Malone penalty was their only reward. Bath shut out the match when Shaun Berne scored Bath's third and final try after 64 minutes. Bath once again stretched the Quins' defence with many phases and eventually Berne took the ball 30 yards from the posts and dashed through a massive hole to score.

This was an excellent performance from Bath against a team that had been sitting just behind Glawster in the league table. Yes there were errors and yes we should have scored more points but I have seen sufficient improvements in our play so far to feel very confident about the rest of the season.

Well done boys, a performance of which you can be very proud.

Referee:

More photos can be found here

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