After a 36-13 mauling at the Madstad earlier in the season, it was upsetting to watch the Exiles once again pile on another thirty-odd points. That two of their five tries came from Bath mistakes in the opposition half which led to breakaway scores is even more galling. Bath may have been trying to play exciting fast paced running rugby but they didn't balance this with any sort of defence. Yes we are generally good at defending tight positions, and had to do this on several occasions, but defending the open spaces was a nightmare. Irish backs Ojo, Armitage, Tagicakibau consistently ran through the Bath defence like a hot knife through butter and ex-Bath defensive coach, Brian Smith, must have winced whilst smiling at the sight of his former charges.

Smith will have also enjoyed watching some of Brian Ashton's innovative attacking moves, one of which saw all the Bath backs, except for Frikkie Welsh on the opposite wing, crowded in the tight blindside area behind a Bath scrum. It was like watching an American Football T formation as numbers 10, 12 and 13 stood perpendicular to the back of the scrum with Bory to the left. As the ball came out Malone, Fuimaono-Sapolu and Crockett broke formation like Red Arrows and the ball was taken through the Irish defence. It was only poor Bath handling that denied the home side an advantage from this ploy.

Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu made some lovely moves in the centre and on one occasion he made a show of the ball, gave a little hitch kick as he dropped his left shoulder to completely disorientate the opposition. This sent a shiver down my spine and brought back fond memories of Jerry Guscott. It was a great shame to see him take a heavy knock and be replaced by Joe Maddock after 35 minutes. This guy can play and looks like the sort of player we want in the middle of the Bath backline.

Irish got off to a fast start and scored their opening try through Juan Manuel Leguizamon after just five minutes. Two early penalties in the Bath twenty-two saw the visitors opt for touch each time as Captain Catty laid out his attacking stall on returning to his spiritual home. The first catch and drive was thwarted by Bath but as the players got up from the ensuing scrum, Irish No 8, Leguizamon, appeared to punch Andy Beattie on the jaw. Though referee Davies missed the incident his touch judge clearly saw the foul. The Bath contingent by "Victor's Corner" expected a home penalty and possibly a yellow card but the flagman's silence was deafening. It was somewhat ironic, not to say frustrating, that it was Leguizamon who scored a few moments later. The only thing to make me smile from this opening exchange was Riki Flutey's conversion attempt, it was so off target it almost hit the cornerflag.

Bath had a chance to reduce the arrears a few minutes later with a penalty on the half-way line but Chris Malone got under his kick and it fell short: the Irish backs made known their intent for this match by attacking from the missed kick. However Malone opened his account after twenty minutes with a penalty in front of the posts. A few minutes later Topsy Ojo scored the first of his two tries after Irish had taken a quick line-out on half-way, caught Bath napping and Ojo ran 50 metres to score. Michael Stephenson tried pitifully to stop Ojo but the Exile ran through him. I'm confident that a fit Matt Perry would have stopped the young winger in his tracks and is a good reason why we need him back soon. If we're going to play risky rugby we need a strong defender to sweep up behind the runners.

Another Malone penalty made the score look a little more respectable at 6-12 but the visitors again spoiled things for Bath as Delon Armitage scored his try. Bath were attacking well in to the Irish half but they looked slow and ponderous in the pack. Possession was lost in a ruck, Armitage picked up the ball and dashed some 70 metres to score under the posts. An almost identical situation occured just two minutes later. This time it was Ojo grabbing the ball and running in to score - easy peasy, lemon squeasy! The Fluetey conversion took the score to 6-26, gaving the Exiles a scoring bonus point and made Bath look like a right load of old Muppets.

Whether Brian Ashton gave his charges a Fergy-style hair-drying during the break is not known, but Bath started the second half like Irish had the first and secured a couple of early penalties the second of which saw Grewcock take a lineout ball, throw it to Delve who dashed around the front of the lineout to score. Bath scored again within five minutes after Lee Mears detached himself from a scrum induced ruck to dive over the line. The score was back to 18-26 with over 30 minutes to play and Bath must have fancied their chances at a marvellous reversal.

Another Malone penalty brought the score to 21-26 after 55 minutes and it was really only a matter of time before Bath took the lead and secured victory. But London Irish hadn't read the script and with 10 minutes left Sailosi Tagicakibau scored their fifth try. A late Crockett try and Malone conversion managed to grab a losing bonus point but this was a day for Catty and his boys.

One step forward and a couple backwards perhaps? Not to worry I'm confident Brian Ashton (and Matt perry at full-back) will get this sorted.

Despite losing to London Irish, Bath managed to move up one place in the Premiership Table

Referee: S Davey (Newhall)

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