MATCH REPORT: Newcastle Falcons 14, Bath Rugby 15

A stuttering Bath Rugby kept their Guinness Premiership dream alive by staging an unlikely second-half fightback and sneaking a one-point victory over Newcastle Falcons.

Bath trailed 14-0 at Kingston Park with just a quarter of the game to go and their Premiership ambitions looked to be dead and buried, especially with it being another nightmarish afternoon from the kicking tee. But touchdowns from scrum-half Michael Claassens and centre Shontayne Hape gave them four vital championship points and lifted them into third.

Butch James missed two kicks on goal in the first half before being forced off with a leg injury and his replacement, Ryan Davis, missed his first three efforts from the tee. But the young No 10, playing only his second game of the season following a knee injury, held his nerve to convert Bath’s second try and nudge over the match-winning penalty.

There was no lack of possession or territory for Bath in the opening half – but what they did lack was precision. Balls were knocked on with alarming frequency, passes failed to go to hand and off-loads were spilt – especially when the try line was beckoning. It was the kind of rugby that had Bath’s skills coach Brad Davis shouting with desperation.

Led by the razor-sharp Claassens, Bath began with pace and invention – but it was a moment of vision by Claassens’ opposite number, Micky Young, that led to the first try.

Young beat the visiting defence to a kick that dribbled into the Bath 22. Finding his path to the whitewash blocked by a scampering Bath defence, the No 9 threaded through an exquisite cross-field kick that fell perfectly into the path of winger Danny Williams for a 13th minute try. Fly-half Tom May, who had missed an earlier attempt on goal, got the extras.

Bath immediately had a chance to reduce the deficit when Newcastle killed the ball in a ruck, but fly-half James – despite striking the ball reasonably – was wide.

Things did not get any better for the South African in the 24th minute when he missed a sitter from 20 metres.

If James was lacking confidence in his kicking abilities, then the Bath team as a whole seemed to be low on belief too. And it was some lacklustre play from the visitors  just five minutes before the break that allowed Newcastle to double their lead.

The Falcons took a quick tap-and-go after Bath conceded a penalty just inside their own half – and a yawning gap allowed Young to burst through and swan-dive over the line while the Bath defence gawped on. May was again on target from the tee.

In a moment that just about summed up Bath’s half, James limped off disconsolately in the 39th minute, suffering a suspected calf strain. On came Davis with the task of reviving Bath’s Premiership fortunes.

A change at fly-half failed to have an immediate impact on Bath’s fortunes from the kicking tee, Davis scuffing two attempts on goal just as the crowd was settling down after a half-time trip to the bar. The second was an absolute howler.

Bath continued to dominate ball and territory, but – just as they did against Harlequins at The Rec two weeks earlier – failed to have sufficient structure in their backline when going forward to convert possession into points.

A chink of light arrived for Bath in the 59th minute when Claassens scrambled over after taking a quick tap penalty five metres from the Falcons’ line, but Davis was wide again from the tee.

Five minutes later and the game suddenly took on a different complexion.  Hape danced over the Falcons line from 25 metres for his first Premiership try and Davis finally got one between the uprights for Bath. The Newcastle lead was narrowed to 14-12.

When Newcastle strayed off-side in the 66th minute, Davis had an opportunity to kick Bath into the lead for the first-time of the match. And he duly took it, giving the blue, black and whites the thinnest of leads.

May had a chance to restore the Falcons' lead but his long attempt on goal drifted wide and short.

With three minutes to go, Falcons’ substitute flanker Geoff Parling surged out of his own 22 and up to the halfway line, but a Newcastle knock-on eased the pressure.

Bath played with composure to run the clock down and Davis led the post-match celebrations, punching the air with relief as the ball was sent into the West Stand.

Bath Rugby: Joe Maddock, Andrew Higgins (Michael Stephenson, 45), Tom Cheeseman, Shontayne Hape, Matt Banahan, Butch James (Ryan Davis, 40), Michael Claassens, David Flatman (Paulica Ion, 62), Lee Mears (Rob Hawkins, 68), Duncan Bell (David Flatman, 76), Justin Harrison (Jonny Faamatuainu, 68), Peter Short, Andy Beattie, Michael Lipman (c), Stuart Hooper

Unused replacements: James Scaysbrook, Scott Bemand

Newcastle Falcons: Alex Tait, Danny Williams, Jamie Noon, Tane Tu’ipulotu, John Rudd (Rob Miller, 72), Tom May, Micky Young (Hall Charlton, 55), Micky Ward, Rob Vickers (Matt Thompson, 65), David Wilson, Tim Swinson, Mark Sorenson, Russell Winter (Geoff Parling, 52), Phil Dowson (c), Adam Balding (Ross Beattie, 62)

Unused replacements: Johnny Williams, Tim Visser

Referee: Andrew Small

Attendance: 7,804