There were a lot of good points about Bath's play in this game as well as some weaknesses, however after the sort of try drought we have endured this season I'll not complain about four tries, with three of them from the backs, and a scoring bonus point. Seeing Michael Stephenson fit and healthy, running exciting slashing lines and regularly sitting on the shoulder of the ball carrier giving the sort of extra attacking options we've been crying out for all season. It was a shame that the only way we could enjoy Stevo's play was to see the Bath physio helping a concussed Matt Perry from the field. Get well soon Pezza.

I was very impressed by the playing skills of Glasgow's Dan Parks and I was surprised to see him substituted at the end: I was not surprised to learn that the press voted him their man of the match and as I wandered towards my car I wondered how our potentially exciting backline could be launched behind such a player. International experience, the right age and playing for a team below his ability: he's ripe for a move to Bath. 

Glasgow started the game at a right old pace and their backs were attacking the Bath line for the opening moments with such an intensity and assuredness that one could have been mistaken for believing they were the home team, not Bath. Fortunately Bath were awarded a penalty to clear their lines and, from the ensuing lineout, Lee Mears made a 30 metre dash up-field and the ball eventually ended up in the hands of Frikke Welsh who scored Bath's opening try in the corner. It was great watching Mearsy scuttling up-field looking around for support. "Oh my God I'm on my own!" was written all over his face.

Glasgow cut the deficit five minutes later after Peter Short was penalised in his twenty-two for being offside but the home supporters assumed this was just part of the early exuberance of a visiting team with nothing to lose and Bath would soon knuckle down (sorry) and let loose. However it was the Warriors who scored the next try after Dan Parks chipped and chased to set up Andy Henderson for his score. The Bath defending was extremely slack and this score saw our kilted guests hooting and hollering in the stands as though New Year's Eve had arrived three weeks early.

Parks then extended the Warriors' lead with a try and conversion to make us all sit up and utter a loud "Oh oh" but a bit of Olly Barkley dipping shoulder-type brilliance in midfield sent Stephenson in for his score. OB1 then gave a visible demonstration of his mixed-up season to date with the boot by missing a "sitter" in front of the posts but landing a 50 metre kick, albeit with a helpful bounce off the cross-bar, to take the score to 16 - 17.

Four tries in 22 minutes was getting a bit much for the Rec faithful so the powers that be sent one of the staff to the Hampton's Stand to set off the fire alarm just in case Coochie Coo and his chums were in danger of getting too much value for money out of this game. "Boring rugby is winning rugby" is a mantra I hope I won't hear again at the Rec for quite some time.

Seriously though, despite the alarm ringing out loudly across the ground for a few minutes, play wasn't stopped and there appeared little (if any) encouragement for the spectators to evacuate the stand. About half of the occupants of the boxes moved off their balconies, although I'm not sure if they then "did an Elvis" and left the building. Even if this was an accidental alarm, surely everyone should have acted as if real with the game being stopped and everyone under the boxes moving on to the pitch? I'm old enough to have watched the shocking scenes of the stadium disasters at Bradford and Hillsborough on television and I wouldn't want something similar at our place (or any place come to that).

Both teams exchanged penalties before Michael Lipman grabbed a try late in the first half. Bath were playing deep in their half when Olly Barkley thwacked the ball miles up-field and it tantalised winger Hefin O'Hare as it bobbled in to touch just inches from the corner flag. Bath were playing well in the line-out and they disrupted this particular Glasgow throw to such an extent that it ended up in the arms of Lipman at the back of the line setting him up for his easy score. A very late Parks penalty saw the score reach 23-23 at half time. The game had whizzed by at a real pace - the mark of good entertaining rugby!

Glasgow started the second half as they had the first, in confident running form and it was only an early Rory Lamont fumble right on the Bath line which prevented a third try for the visitors. It looked, from where I was sitting, that Lamont was getting ready to celebrate his score before he had the ball in his hands and the shock on his face as the leather egg slipped from his grasp was only matched by the relief felt by the home supporters.

The enjoyable free-flowing rugby of the first half was not repeated in the second forty minutes and it took a 69th Finau try and 78th minute Olly Barkely penalty to settle things in Bath's favour, although we were never comfortable.

The good things from this game for Bath have to focus around the backs and the fact that they ran sharp lines, picked up the pace and generally looked like attacking and skillful rugby players for most of the time as opposed to the shambolic displays we have seen at the Rec for a number of months. Barkley, Welsh, Stephenson and Cheeseman all looked to be finding form and an understanding which will provide great encouragement for Brian Ashton. I'm not convinced Finau is right for us on the wing as he appears (to my untutored eye) to be too static with hardly any pace: I doubt he is able to run around players instead always opting for the bulldozer approach. Whilst I like that in a prop I want my wingers to be strong but fleet of foot!

As for the forwards? The restarts were a shambles, as many have already commented, but we mustn't forget the scrum Mearsey won against the head or the disruption of the Glasgow lineouts. Lipman was back to his best and Matt Stevens is showing a level of fitness and commitment that enables him to be first to the breakdown on numerous occasions. Gareth Delve also looked strong, perhaps benefiting from the confidence of starting regularly.

And a word for Glasgow - well done boys you played well and could easily have flown back north with the spoils in your kit bag. Next week will be a right tester for Bath.

Bath: Perry; Finau, Cheeseman, Barkley, Welsh; Malone, Walshe; Stevens, Mears, Bell; Borthwick (capt), Short; Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Dixon, Barnes, Scaysbrook, Fidler, Williams, Davis.

Glasgow: Staniforth; O'Hare, Morrison, Henderson, Lamont; Parks, Beveridge (capt); Murray, Lawson, Tkachuk; Barker, Hamilton; Swindall, Beattie, Barclay.
Replacements: Thomson, Harrison, Hayter, Turner, Pinder, Gregor, Craig.

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