Bath stun leaders Gloucester
England coach Brian Ashton was among the crowd at the Recreation Ground
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Friday, 04, Jan 2008 10:17
Bath beat Gloucester 10-5 in the top-of-the-table clash in the Guinness Premiership at the Recreation Ground.
Olly Barkley's penalty gave second-placed Bath a 3-0 lead at the break. Bath increased their lead when Joe Maddock crashed over at the start of the second half, which was converted by Barkley.
Gloucester mounted a fightback when Chris Paterson touched down but Bath held on, to hand the visitors only their second defeat of the season.
The game started 15 minutes late to give the ground staff more time to mop up the excess water on the pitch.
In front of a 10,600 sell-out crowd the first-half was a tight affair with only Barkley's penalty, which went in off the post, on 31 minutes breaking the deadlock.
Bath went 10-0 ahead in the 50th minute when Nick Abendanon aimed a kick into the arms of the unmarked Maddock who strolled over the line.
Substitute Paterson put Gloucester back into the match in the 61st minute when he jinxed past three players and touched down, but his conversion struck the post to leave the visitors trailing by five points.
Bath clung on for victory in the closing 20 minutes, to close the gap on leaders Gloucester to two points after ten matches.