The weather in Bath was pretty warm pre-match, matching the forecast as we took the field at the Recreation Ground for the tenth time, looking for our second win. Rob Andrew made two changes from the side which defeated Worcester on the opening weekend, replacing Matt Thompson and Hall Charlton with Andy Long and James Grindal, while the latter’s sound-alike Mike Tindall started his first game of the season for the hosts.

Little did we know what was to come...

Despite the dreadful (but covered during the first half shower!) view from the Hampton’s Stand I thoroughly enjoyed the first half, which saw us take the game to the home side. Michael Stephenson was the first to threaten early on, but his probing run ended up in a penalty to Bath. However, it wasn’t long before Mike McCarthy got a free run on the left and scored his second try in two matches for us, and although Jonny Wilkinson missed the conversion, his run shortly after set up Tom May, excellent in attack all afternoon, for the second. Wilkinson’s conversion and a penalty took our lead to 15-0, which was great, but Gloucester in 2003 kept sticking in my mind. Sure enough, Bath scored a quick try of their own through lock Steve Borthwick, but missed the conversion. Chris Malone also missed a penalty, but the touch judges somehow decided it was through the posts, but not before Mackem Hero Stephenson sliced through the West Country defence for a brilliant try, and Wilkinson’s conversion gave us a wonderful lead of 22-8 at the break.

No lack of effort there...

Joe gets ready to run it back again

Still, despite the score and our dominance and the fact I was chuffed, I was still wary that Bath had every chance. A quick drop goal from Wilkinson after half time extended our advantage to 17 points, but Bath began to take control of the game and Brendan Daniel went over for another home try, but once again Malone couldn’t convert. As the game wore on Bath continued to camp in our half, and we weren’t helped by a woeful lineout all afternoon. Matt Burke came on to make his debut for the Boys, and had a couple of runs but from low down at the opposite end of the field I couldn’t comment on his defence. On one of our few counter-attacks of the second period, May barnstormed his way through on the right to wrap up the bonus point and hopefully the victory, Wilkinson’s conversion putting us 30-13 up! Yes, it was really happening!

Would you want to try and get past?

Number one, never a zero

Bath continued to attack as the clock seemed to go backwards, but Daniel’s second unconverted try was all they could do and Wilkinson’s drop goal it was that completed the scoring. More significantly, there was a bit of fisticuffs on halfway and May was sin-binned in injury time, but worse was that Dowson received a red card for his troubles. However, the most important statistic at the end of 80 minutes read Bath 18 Newcastle 33.

Now I’m not going to say we are now an all-conquering super-team, but winning away to last season’s regular season winners suggests this could be a better season than we’ve had in a while. Our defence was simply outstanding today, and May and Stevo again looked likely to score whenever they had the ball in Bath’s 22. If we can beat Harlequins next week then we will go to Gloucester full of confidence, a quality which any team wanting to win at Kingsholm requires in abundance.

Two head, two tries, Tom May

We have been fortunate to have almost our full team out so far, bar Andrew Mower. We will no doubt experience difficulties when international calls and injuries come, but if our first team can keep winning matches we might be able to ride out these periods and still gain a respectable league position.

Because we must keep our feet on the ground and remember that getting back into the Heineken Cup via the Premiership would still be a success this year, and anything extra is a bonus. But having nine out of ten possible points after two games, both away, is a heck of a start.

Whisper it quietly, but the last time we won at Bath, we ended the season as English Champions…

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