I think this weeks training session was cross field kicks to the corner
and knock-ons because looking back through my notes those words seem to
be repeated every other line. To be fair to Bath they set their stall
out early spurning a chance of a kickable penalty by going for touch
after a passage of play that saw Bath pinged for delaying a line out,
running out of defense and taking a quick tap and go penalty. From the
ensuing lineout on the Sharks 5m line the throw was not straight,
setting the pattern for much of what was to follow.

The Sale clearance kick fell to Joe Maddock who sent it straight back
into Sharks territory. Another feature of this match was the number of
missed touch kicks from Sale, Joe being the beneficiary in most cases.
From the attacking lineout Bath went through both backs and forwards. A
Sale infringement lead to Baths first attacking scrum and a free kick
taken quickly. Bath battered the Sale line until a grubber kick went too
long and Sale had a chance to clear their line.

Bath pinched the ensuing lineout and attacked again, a long miss pass to
Joe was knocked on relieving the pressure on Sale. So far this game has
been all Bath. From the scrum Sale make their first foray into Bath
territory and win a penalty within Charlie Hodgsons range.

3-0 Sale 12 minutes gone.

This pattern continues as the next time Sale visit Baths half, they win
another penalty that Hodgson duly converts, 18 minutes gone Sale 6 Bath 0.

Bath, although throwing the ball around and moving play from side to
side are travelling laterally without much forward momentum, the play is
also error strewn with passes to nobody, knock-ons and forwards passes
aplenty.

Eventually Bath start to build some momentum and attack the Sale line, a
cross field kick aimed for Bory is fumbled but the ref was playing
advantage, back for another very kickable penalty, again we went for the
corner and a Bath attacking lineout on the Sale 5m. Sale pinch the ball
and set about there own attack, moving the ball from side to side but
advancing up the field eventually Hodgson tries a drop goal, this misses
but the ref came back for a penalty that Hodgson duly converts. Sale 9
Bath 0. Bath are playing all the attacking rugby and have a majority of
the possession and territory, but Sale have all the points.

There then followed an entertaining period when both sides attacked and
fumbled in equal measure, tackles were crunching on both sides. From an
attacking lineout Bath win scrappy ball which is recycled through the
forwards, it comes out to Malone who chips through and gathers to score
under the posts. Malone converts for a score of 9-7. More error strewn
play sees Sale turn over a promising Bath attack, they storm upfield and
have a 3 man overlap and simply have to score, but cut inside and the
chance is lost, that sounds familiar, did Mr.Goode hold a coaching
session in Stockport this week?

Half time score 9-7 Sale.

Sale came out for the second half with all guns blazing and soon
extended the lead with another Hodgson penalty.

From the restart Sale run the ball and an up and under is re-gathered
and Sale are across the line out wide. But the ref pulls them back for a
forward pass, much to the disgust of the Sale fans.

Bath clear into the Sale half and a well worked move between the Sale
hooker and prop sees them charging down the blind side, not for the last
time this evening  Bath are caught napping at a lineout. The attack is
thwarted by the inevitable knock on and Bath, in attempting to run out
of defense, throw the ball into touch. From the lineout Sale attack
through the middle and a neat sidestep from Charlie Hodgson sees him
under the posts for Sale's first try, which he duly converted. Sale 19
Bath 7, 50 minutes gone.

From the kick of Sale win another penalty but Hodgson pushes it just
wide. The game then really took off with wave after wave of Bath attack,
but just at the vital moment we either knocked on, passed it forward or
infringed in another way. We try three or four cross field kicks to the
corners and if one had been grounded the game might have had a very
different outcome. Sale, to their credit, repelled all attacks with some
ferocious tackling. The Sharks did put themselves under enormous
pressure with Hodgson missing many clearance kicks which Bath just ran
straight back at them, but in the end after a lot of huff and puff, Bath
came up short.

After a passage of play that saw Bath pass the ball across the pitch
left to right and back Bath won an attacking lineout, after several pick
and drives the ball popped out on the wing and Hudson gathered to score
in the corner. Malone missed the conversion and the score moved onto
19-12 with 15 minutes to go. If the score had stayed like this it would
have been reasonable reflection on the game, Bath spurning their chances
and Sale taking theirs, but things were about to get weird.

The next 10 minutes were some of the most bizarre I have seen with Bath
spilling chance after chance to score and Sale scoring three tries in
quick succession from Mayor, Cueto and Chris Jones touching down on 76,
78 and 79 minutes to gain the table topping bonus point for Sale.

Full time Sale 38 Bath 12.

I came away from the game with mixed emotions, sad and embarrassed at
the scoreline, although much of that could be put down to tiredness and
inexperience in the last 10 minutes, frustration that we had chance
after chance, but in the end could not convert many of them, and a
slight sense of excitement that we have many chances to kick penalties
but instead decided for the attacking option, ultimately fruitless, but
entertaining while it lasted.

The starting 15 was something like Bell, Dixon, Flatman, Hudson, Short,
Delve, Zac, Big Tongan/Samoan, Williams, Malone, Bory, Barkley,
Crockett, Abendanon and Maddock.

Of course all this is preliminary to the real game of the weekend, and
in fact the season. Moz Match 2 – see you all in Bristol.

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