Bath maintained their 100% record and their place at the top of the Zurich
Premiership with a convincing victory over Rotherham.
Centre Olly Barkley, totalled 27 points with a try, five conversions and four
penalties as last season's relegation contenders turned in a remarkable second
half performance which only reinforced Rotherham's candidacy for the drop.
In the first half, however, the league newcomers made the league leaders
battle every inch of the way with a committed forward display which restricted
the half-time scoreline to just 12-3.
Bath, having relied purely on the boot of Barkley for that lead, came out in
the second half with renewed fire and presence.
Within a minute, wing Andrew Higgins had crossed in the corner after good work
by Michael Lipman and Jamie Williams, both team-mates at Bristol last season.
Rotherham's problems were compounded after 46 minutes by the sending to the
sin bin of flanker Craig Short and Bath immediately took advantage when the
forwards rumbled over from a tapped penalty for a try, credited to flanker Andy
Beattie.
Barkley's conversion stretched the lead to 26-3 and suddenly Rotherham were
out of the game.
On 50 minutes, Higgins grabbed the second try after bursting on to a pass by
fly-half Malone and Barkley added the points again.
Rotherham did their best to stay in the game but were too combative for
referee Wayne Barnes who sent replacement scrum-half Charlie Harrison to the bin
for sparking a prolonged punch-up.
After 64 minutes, prop Matt Stevens sped over on the right wing to show why he
has been included in the England elite squad of 60 and, four minutes later,
Barkley added the fifth try after an incisive run by Higgins.
Barkley maintained his 100% kicking record by converting both tries and took
his points tally of the season to 81 in just five games.
Teams:
Bath: Best, A. Higgins, Williams, Barkley, Brasher, Malone,
Wood, Flatman, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Fidler, Beattie,
Lipman, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Blake, Mears, Stevens, Knox, Barnes, Scaysbrook, Gray.
Tries: A. Higgins 2, Beattie, Stevens, Barkley.
Cons: Barkley 5.
Pens: Barkley 4.
Rotherham: Benson, Elliott, Jorgensen, Pritchard, Wood,
Strange, Raulini, Lloyd, Johnson, Bunting, Cook, Greeff, Short,
Spence, Lewis.
Replacements: Smyth, Rawson, Remnant, Cockle, Harrison, Oliver,
Strettle.
Pens: Strange.
Sin Bin: Strange (46), Harrison (61).
Att: 8,733
Ref: Wayne Barnes (RFU).
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