The match was nothing much to write home about, a scrap between two sides mixing it up front and a lack of what the neutrals might term “entertainment”, unless it’s blood n guts that excited you of course.

A positive start from the Falcons in front of an alleged sell-out crowd (there were numerous empty seats in the Hampton’s Stand) was undone when from a lineout wing Salesi Finau broke through a week Ollie Phillips tackle to score the opening try, which Chris Malone converted.  Malone kicked a penalty to extend the lead, before Ben Woods dropped a Phillips pass with the try-line beckoning.  Matthew Burke, again captaining our side in Colin Charvis’ absence, knocked over a penalty after Bath stole illegally in the 22, but it was Bath who looked the more dangerous and James Scaysbrook almost went over for a try but referee Martin Fox pulled the players back for a knock-on.  No more points were forthcoming and the first half ended with Bath 10-3 up.

Malone and Burke exchanged penalties in the second period, before home scrum half Nick Walshe was sin-binned for a ruck offence and we took full advantage, Phillips beating the Bath defence for a good try.  Burke kicked the extras to level the scoreline, as the game continued to be a midfield scrap.  Having a good game, Burke was also involved in a good move which almost brought us another try, but Bath held us up, before Anthony Elliott, playing on the right wing, won a kick and chase to touch down and give us the lead ten minutes before the end.  Crucially however, Burke couldn’t convert this time.

Bath predictably attacked us hard in the closing stages, and despite some valiant defence we couldn’t hold on and an Alex Crockett break set up replacement (for Finau ironically) Lee Best to score in the corner.  All eyes were on Chris Malone with a difficult conversion, but the ball sailed through the posts to condemn the Falcons to only a third defeat in 14 matches.

That’s where I’m ending it, sorry for the lack of detail, but for some reason I didn’t write down very much and I don’t remember there being too much to write about!  Normal service resumed in two weeks.

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