European Challenge Cup, Connacht 24 Bath 36: Not altogether unexpected, the curtain closed on Connacht's European season at home with a loss to the pool leaders last night.
But the scoreline did not reflect Connacht's huge endeavour, particularly in the second half, and had they not botched a couple of chances they could well have avenged their earlier defeat to the English outfit.
Coach Michael Bradley believed his team had a point to prove, having squandered a golden opportunity at the Recreation Grounds. But the statistics remain as stark: one win from four games, and a poor record from a talented squad who despite being in a difficult pool failed to put their opponents away when they had chances.
After a poor opening in which Bath took a handy, 10-19 lead against the wind, Connacht grabbed the initiative. On several occasions they had Bath on the back foot, coming within five-points with 10 minutes remaining. Yet they blew two try-scoring chances, were denied a possible try from Welsh referee Tim Hayes' questionable insistence of a forward pass, and too often self-destructed in scoring positions.
Bath looked on their way to victory and a bonus point after a dominant first half in which they scored three tries. Despite the wind, and an early Mark McHugh penalty, Connacht struggled to gain control against a physical pack. And with Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock restored to the secondrow, Bath not only secured their lineout but frequently disrupted Connacht's.
Bath's opening try came somewhat against the run of play when, in a rehearsed move, Andy Beattie burst through from the front of a lineout and powered his way from 45 metres out. They added a second try when centre Chev Walker strode through the midfield, before fullback Michael Stephenson slid in on the left corner from a two-on-one overlap.
Connacht struck immediately from the kick-off from turn-over ball, and from a couple of long passes to Brett Wilkinson and Andrew Farley, Conor McPhillips broke the tackle to score.
But Colm Rigney's sin-bining provided Bath with the impetus, and when Paul Warwick missed a first-up tackle, Ollie Barkley found the gap through midfield for a third try.
Connacht turned around in the second half with new vigour and pace. Mark McHugh took over the playmaking role, consistently finding space, and was abetted by Conor O'Loughlin and replacement Darren Yapp.
But lost opportunities typified Connacht's season. Having worked themselves into a scoring position with impressive recycling, Warwick opted for a grubber, thereby losing possession. Then Conor McPhillips delayed his pass with a two-man overlap outside, and the pack turned over ball on the line.
Bath, with little possession, nudged themselves further ahead with a Barkley penalty before Connacht finally were rewarded for their endeavour. Replacement wing Yapp did the damage, and although held up on the line, O'Loughlin squeezed over from the resulting ruck, making it 17-22.
They could have added to their score when Yapp broke from inside the 22, combining with Danny O'Riordan, but referee Hayes adjudged the final pass forward, and from the resulting scrum Bath struck again when fullback Stephenson was given too much room on the right wing, claiming the bonus point.
With 10 minutes remaining, Connacht remained in control, reducing the arrears to just five after replacement hooker John Fogarty got the touch down from Farley's lineout catch and drive. Frustratingly it was their last score. Bath, whose only route to Heineken Cup rugby is via the Challenge Cup, finished with another soft try from Stephenson.
SCORING SEQUENCE:12 mins: McHugh penalty 3-0; 15: Beattie try, Barkley conversion 3-7; 35: Stephenson try 3-12; 37: McPhillips try, McHugh conversion 10-12; 44: Barkley try, conversion 10-19. Half-time: 10-19; 52: Barkley penalty 10-21; 55: O'Loughlin try, McHugh conversion 17-22; 62: Stephenson try, Barkley conversion 17-29; 72: Fogarty try, McHugh conversion 24-29; 76: Stephenson try, Malone conversion 24-36.
CONNACHT:D Riordan; T Robinson, J Hearty, M McHugh, C McPhillips; P Warwick, C O'Loughlin; B Wilkinson, A Flavin, S Knoop, M Swift, A Farley (capt), B O'Connor, M Lacey, C Rigney. Replacements: R Ofisa for Rigney (47 mins), D McGowan for O'Connor, D Yapp for Robinson (both 53 mins), J Fogarty for Flavin, B Sturgess for Knoop (both 67 mins).
BATH:M Stephenson; J Maddock, C Walker, O Barkley, D Bory; C Malone, N Walshe; D Barnes, L Mears, A Jarvis, S Borthwick, D Grewcock, A Beattie, J Scaysbrook, G Delve. Replacements, P Short for Grewcock (47 mins), I Feaunati for Delve, N Abendanon for Maddock (both 68 mins), L Ovens for Jarvis (70 mins), AWilliams for Walshe, S Berne for Barkley (both 74 mins).
Referee:Tim Hayes (Wales).
