Gloucester knocked their fierce West Country rivals Bath out of the Tetley's Bitter Cup for a second successive season as the claimed their first Recreation Ground victory since 1971.

Gloucester ran out richly deserved winners, scoring three tries to nil and then withstanding a ferocious Bath onslaught during the closing minutes.

Bath, 10-times English cup winners, led 12-0 two minutes before half-time after scrum-half Jon Preston kicked four penalties.

But Gloucester fly-half Byron Hayward's try deep into first-half stoppage time gave Gloucester a glimmer of hope, and they went on to dominate the second period.

Preston's sixth penalty put Bath 18-7 ahead, but that was the signal for Gloucester to hit top gear and they rattled up 17 unanswered points, leaving Bath trailing in their slipstream.

Hayward started the comeback with a 47th minute penalty, and just two minutes later, the alarm bells were ringing for Bath when lock Mark Cornwell crashed over from close range between the posts.

Hayward added the simple conversion to move Gloucester within one point, and when the visitors sent on internationals Andy Gomarsall and Junior Paramore on 57 minutes, it gave them fresh impetus.

Bath were reduced to a shambles as Gloucester went ahead for the first time with 17 minutes remaining.

Former England wing Tom Beim danced and weaved his way through the Bath defence from 40-metres out, and when Hayward added the conversion, Gloucester had irresistible momentum.

Bath threw everything into attack during the closing moments, centre Kevin Maggs and wing Iain Balshaw both going agonisingly close, but Gloucester's superbly organised defence held firm.

Gloucester coach Phillipe Saint-Andre missed the game because of television commentary commitments at today's Paris Test between France and Australia, while star recruits like Jason Little and Ian Jones also sat out the fourth round tie.

But Gloucester's youngsters, with full back Chris Catling and flanker Andy Hazell outstanding throughout, did their coach proud.

Gloucester can now expect to face Premiership champions Leicester in round five at Kingsholm next Saturday, while Bath will have a day off that they never wanted.

Bath coach Jon Callard is suddenly a man under pressure, given that his team have little chance of reaching the knockout stages of this season's Heineken Cup.

Defeats against Newport and Munster last month have left them with only an outside chance of reaching the last eight, Gloucester, meanwhile, are well placed in their qualifying group, and today's triumph served to underline a considerable power shift in West Country rugby.

Callard faces a sizeable task to get Bath's season back on track, but Gloucester will savour this victory for a long time to come. It proved a long wait, but the delirious reaction of their travelling fans proved that it will go down in Gloucester folklore.

Teams:

Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Berne, A. Adebayo, Catt, Preston, Emms, Regan, Horsman, Haag, Borthwick, G. Thomas, Clarke, N. Thomas.

Replacements: Thirlby for A. Adebayo (74), Mallett for Horsman (55), Gabey for Haag (70).

Not Used: Cooper, Long, Cox, Lloyd.

Pens: Preston 6.

Gloucester: Catling, Jewell, Ewens, Fanolua, Beim, Hayward, Moncrieff, Vickery, Fortey, Deacon, Fidler, Cornwell, Boer, Hazell, Ojomoh.

Replacements: Gomarsall for Moncrieff (56), Pearce for Fidler (70), Paramore for Ojomoh (56).

Not Used: Simpson-Daniel, Greenslade-Jones, Kwisiuk, Sanchez.

Sin Bin: Vickery (15).

Tries: Hayward, Cornwell, Beim.

Cons: Hayward 3.

Pens: Hayward.

Att: 6,200

Ref: Steve Lander (RFU).