Bath Sporting Round-Up

It was a busy week in Bath with both sides having must-win games that could move them both back into contention.

The Romans had two must-win games to get their season back on track. Bath Rugby had the chance to go top of the Gallagher Premiership for a few hours, but standing in their way were Gloucester Rugby. 

Up first for Bath City was Weymouth. 

Bath City vs Weymouth 

The Romans needed a response following their narrow 1-0 loss to Torquay. Bath started strongly having the first chance of the game just six minutes in a free header at the far post but was unable to be capitalised upon by a Bath shirt. 

Bath was pushing hard for an early goal with Jordan Dyer getting free at the far post but another chance went begging. Just moments later they would find their opener Cody Cooke managing to bundle home but the flag was up and the game remained goalless. 

In the 16th minute, Dan Hayfield threaded a beautiful ball through to Elliott Frear who would clinically finish and this one would count making it 1-0 Bath. 

30 minutes came and went with Bath controlling and they would double their lead through Scott Wilson who had an empty net after a cross from Jordan Thomas. 

The home side had an instant response to going 2-0 down, Ben Thomson’s long-range volley finding the net. Not to be outdone Bath had an instant reply of their own Thomas taking the ball past two Weymouth men before slotting home into the far corner, restoring Bath's two-goal advantage at 3-1.

Bath would take their two-goal lead in at the break hoping for a more relaxed second half to secure a much-needed three points. 

Second Half

Bath City had a huge appeal for a penalty in the 51st minute, Hayfield managed to round the Weymouth keeper before being bundled over in the box. Somehow the referee did not point to the spot. 

On the hour mark Bath would make it 4-1 Wilson's cross was perfect for Frear who made no mistake and scored. The Romans were on fire and making a statement. 

The visitors had been content to defend their three-goal advantage, and it got all the easier in the 77th minute when Calvin Brooks was shown his second yellow of the game for a professional foul and Weymouth found themselves down to ten. 

As the 90th minute approached Bath added their fifth of the game. Cooke nodded home from a Hayfield cross and made it 5-1.

The full-time whistle would sound and Bath City silenced any doubters, they are here to compete for promotion.

Bath City vs Aveley 

Bath started the game strongly seemingly bolstered after their 5-1 demolition of Weymouth. Just seven minutes into the game Cody Cooke would open the scoring a beautifully whipped-in corner found Cooke unmarked at the near post who headed home to give the Romans a 1-0 lead inside 10 minutes.

Three minutes later the hosts would have the chance to double their lead from the penalty spot following a foul on Jordan Thomas. Bath would double their lead and Cooke would double his tally firing home to give Bath a commanding 2-0 lead. 

Following a maddening opening ten minutes the game settled into a lull with Bath happy to defend their two-goal advantage and Aveley not being able to create any real challenge. As the half went on Bath still looked the more likely team to score. 

The first half would come to an end with the Romans firmly in control at 2-0.

Second Half

Bath started the second half on the back foot as Aveley looked for a way back into the game but some solid defending kept them at bay. 

The home side was pursuing a third with Thomas having plenty of joy out wide but failing to find anyone in the box. They would find a third through Scott Wilson the referee gave the goal initially but then changed his mind and ruled it out leaving the score at 2-0. 

Aveley were not getting any moments to breathe as Bath looked for that third goal, Wilson was desperate to get a goal that would stand having multiple chances along with Cooke on the search for his third.

The visitors gave Bath the perfect chance to end the game in the 90th minute Jason Ring gave away a penalty and was sent off. Cooke got his hat trick and made it 3-0 to Bath.

Harvey Brown would pull one back for Aveley but the goal would be ruled out keeping Bath's clean sheet intact and the game would come to an end with Bath running out 3-0 winners.

Bath Rugby vs Gloucester Rugby

Bath travelled to Gloucester for Round 5 of the Gallagher Premiership, last week's loss to the Northampton Saints made it two losses on the bounce for Bath. Could they turn their season around in Gloucester?

The opening ten minutes saw both sides scoring penalties. The game's first try came the way of the hosts, Chris Harris putting them up 10-3. Six minutes later Ollie Lawrence would level the scoring in the 24th minute. 

Gloucester retook the lead in the 27th minute, Santiago Carreras adding another five before he converted his own try to make it 17-10. As the half came to a close the hosts pushed their lead out even further. A penalty for a high tackle saw them lead 20-10 at the break. 

Second Half

Bath needed a big performance to overturn the 10-point difference and they started the second half strongly Will Muir scoring and Finn Russell converting and giving a cheeky shush to the home crowd to bring the Gloucester lead down to three. 

In the 55th minute, the Bath comeback was complete Thomas du Toit scored and the conversion from Russell brought the first lead of the game for Bath who led 24-20. Just over five minutes later in the 61st minute, Beno Obano added another try to the growing Bath lead taking the score to 31-20. 

Bath were on top and a penalty try pushed them even further ahead of Gloucester. But the home side did have a reply to a lacklustre second half. Matias Alemanno scored a try to try and ignite a fightback for the home side. 

As the game entered the final ten minutes Bath sat with an eleven-point lead at 38-27. Bath was doing well to suppress the Gloucester attack and won a vital turnover in the 76th minute that killed any momentum the home side had built. 

To kill the game off for good Bath added one more try to end the game in the dying moments Lawrence's second try was the last moment of the game and Bath ran out deserved winners in a 45-27 win.

The win moved Bath to the top of the Gallagher Premiership all but temporarily as they were the only side to play at the time.