This was by no means a perfect performance by Bath but it was exciting and they are playing with a freedom seldom seen for years. After criticising their former club for a lack of ambition on the pitch (as well as off it) this last five years it would be good to hear from Messers Barnes and Guscott on this new style.

The big men are no longer lumbering their way around the pitch from one break down to the next, they're thundering around with ball in hand linking play with their backs. If we carry on like this not only are we going to get a reputation for playing exciting rugby we're going to get a reputation for winning things. 

With the recent retirement of Jason Gardener from athletics it seems as though Peter Short has taken on the mantle of being the "Bath Bullet". After last weeks remarkable run-in for a try Short followed it up this week with another powerful "sprinters" dash from half way which, although not resulting in a try for the big forward, it set up the Bath backs to swing the ball wide to Ian Davey on the other wing to score. Tremendous! Steve Borthwick will have to fight for his place and, with Jonny F also playing like a demon, we suddenly have a genuine opportunity for second row player rotation and that has to be good to keep Danny Grewcock healthy for the whole season. 

Bath got off to a great start and dominated the opening quarter with two tries and a penalty to nil. Shaun Berne turned on the gas to break through a flat defensive line on the edge of the Newcastle twenty-two to open their try account and Michael Claassens landed an excellent opportunist try after he and Andy Beattie forced the Falcons' No 8, Russell Winter, to fumble over his own line before the Bath scrum-half fell on the ball. After commenting on Beattie's lack of form recently it was great to see The Beast back to his best, charging and tackling like a ferocious bull.

In between these two scores Bath could have grabbed two others but both were adjudged to be the beneficiary of forward passes. The number of chances Bath created in the opening twenty minutes was very encouraging and it was somewhat surprising when the visitors appeared to take their foot off the gas for the rest of the half. Well organised defensive play kept Newcastle at bay until the 38th minute, when Tom May cut a great line through the Bath defence to make the half-time score 7-15.

Newcastle came out firing in the second half and it was only a knock-out blow to Michael Lipman, after he'd clashed heads with Ian Davey, that gave Bath some respite. It was backs to the wall prior to this injury but once again the well drilled Bath defence kept out the Falcons' onslaught.

Almost against the run of play Bath scored a third try after Ian Davey benefited from Short's sprinting skills Davey showed his pace and agility as he slipped inside his defender and full back Michael Stephenson scored his second try in two games as once again he took the ball at top speed twenty metres from the line to ensure he was able reach his goal before being knocked in to touch.

A lovely Ryan Davis drop goal was followed up by a try from Davey's replacement, Matt Banahan, and a very late consolation try from Joe Shaw made the score look more respectable for the home side.

Despite seeing Newcastle take control for the middle part of this game the whole of the Bath team played as a well organised unit, rarely losing their shape and consistently restricting the home side. Everyone played well and they were a joy to watch. After seasons of watching static, dreary rugby this is wonderful!

Referee: Rob Debney

Don't forget to vote for the players by e-mailing: sport@bathchron.co.uk

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