Iain Balshaw made a try-scoring return to top flight rugby, but Bath
still came unstuck in their Parker Pen Challenge Cup second round clash at the
Brewery Field.
Bridgend will take a two-point lead into next Saturday's Recreation Ground
return thanks to a Craig Warlow penalty with the game's final kick.
Bath, struggling in the Zurich Premiership just two points above bottom club
Newcastle, looked to have done enough after tries by Balshaw and scrum half Andy
Williams, plus 16 points from the boot of Australian Chris Malone.
But Warlow, who missed four kicks at goal, had other ideas as he gave Bridgend
a dramatic win following skipper Gareth Thomas' try double and a Christian
Loader touchdown.
Balshaw, capped 14 times by England, hardly put a foot wrong during his 70
minutes display, and his try in first half injury time capped a successful
comeback.
Sidelined since April following ankle and shoulder operations, the British
Lion scored an impressive breakaway try after Bath found themselves under the
cosh.
It was Balshaw's first Bath try for 19 months, and enabled the visitors to
wipe out a worrying 14-3 deficit inside 25 minutes.
Bridgend, with three former Bath players in their pack, made a blistering
start, scoring early tries through Thomas and Loader, with Warlow slotting both
conversions.
But Bath finally ended Bridgend's territorial grip, and from their first
significant attack Williams slipped over for a score between the posts.
Fly half Malone converted, to follow two earlier penalties, before Bath went
ahead, albeit somewhat fortuitously.
England centre Mike Tyndall's attempted defensive clearance was charged down
but the ball bounced kindly for Bath wing Alex Crockett, who linked with Tyndall
and allowed Balshaw to finish off a 70-metre move.
Warlow, having missed two first half penalties, was wide of the target again
on 42 minutes but a successful strike six minutes later reduced Bath's advantage
to just three points.
Things got worse for Bath before the hour as Bridgend found a fresh
initiative, and slick passing allowed the impressive Thomas to claim his second
try.
Warlow's missed conversion was his fourth failed kick, but Bath were 22-20
adrift until Malone completed a penalty hat-trick to edge the visitors narrowly
ahead once more.
Malone's fourth successful penalty appeared to give Bath breathing space
entering the final quarter, but another Warlow strike ensured a nervous finale
for both teams.
Malone missed a long-range kick two minutes from time, but when French referee
Didier Mene penalised the visitors for some illegal line-out, three minutes into
stoppage time, Warlow stepped up to grab the glory.
Bath should still be good enough to finish off the job next weekend and secure
a quarter-final clash against either French club Montauban or Gregor Townsend's
Borders.
Teams
Bridgend: M. James, Warlow, G. Thomas, Taumalolo, Havili,
Mannix, Martens, Loader, Williams, Horsman, D. Jones, Budgett,
Molitika, Harris, Bryan.
Replacements: Booth, Thiel, R. Jones, van Rensburg, B. Phillips,
Harries, Mustoe.
Tries: G. Thomas 2, Loader.
Cons: Warlow 2.
Pens: Warlow 3.
Bath: Balshaw, Danielli, Maggs, Tindall, Crockett, Malone,
A. Williams, Barnes, Mears, Galasso, Borthwick, Grewcock,
Scaysbrook, Beattie, N. Thomas.
Replacements: Cooper, Long, Mallett, Blake, Voyce, G. Thomas,
Vander.
Tries: A. Williams, Balshaw.
Cons: Malone 2.
Pens: Malone 4.
Att: 4,000
Ref: Didier Mene (France).
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook