Zurich Premiership leaders Bath survived the 32nd-minute dismissal of flanker
Michael Lipman to win the battle of the top two in front of a sell-out crowd at
the Recreation Ground.
Lipman was shown the red card by referee Roy Maybank on the advice of touch
judge Lloyd Jackson after stamping on Harlequins' Pat Sanderson.
Bath were trailing the 7-6 at that point and it could have been worse had
Harlequins fly-half Paul Burke not missed the resulting penalty from 40 metres.
Instead Bath won the forward battle comprehensively, creating all the
second-half pressure for fly-half Olly Barkley to kill the off Harlequins with
six penalties.
Burke, who lasted only 46 minutes for Harlequins before limping off to be
replaced by Andy Dunne, had the first opportunity to put points on the board in
the second minute.
His penalty was wide and Barkley put the first points on the board with a
close-range penalty five minutes later.
For the half hour that Bath had their full complement of players they were
subdued as Harlequins took the initiative with an effective kicking game.
The home side's attempt to impose themselves cost them a penalty for
interference at the line-out and Burke found touch near the corner with a
perfect angled kick.
A smart line-out move then fashioned a try for flanker Sanderson. Burke added
the conversion from near touch to give the Londoners a 7-3 lead after 15
minutes.
Barkley landed a second penalty from 28 metres shortly afterwards but Bath,
beaten only once in 10 starts this season, were misfiring.
Then came Lipman's dismissal for use of the boot on Sanderson and the Bath
pack rose to the challenge.
Barkley's third penalty in first-half injury-time provided a two-point cushion
and he was on target again two minutes into the second half from 38 metres on
the touchline.
As the seven-man Bath pack increased their stranglehold on the game Barkley
obliged with a tremendous 50 metre effort in the 54th minute.
Dunn replied for Harlequins 15 minutes later with a penalty, but Barkley
stepped up again in injury-time to deny them a bonus point.
Teams
Bath: Perry, Human, A. Higgins, Kydd, Danielli, Barkley, Wood,
Flatman, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Fidler, Beattie, Lipman,
Fea'unati.
Replacements: Maggs for Kydd (63), Stevens for Flatman (69),
Mears for Humphreys (73).
Not Used: Blake, Sampson, Scaysbrook, Gray.
Sent Off: Lipman (32).
Pens: Barkley 6.
Harlequins: Duffy, Keogh, Bell, Deane, Monye, Burke, Willis,
Jones, Fuga, Dawson, Davison, Evans, Sanderson, Vos, Diprose.
Replacements: Dunne for Burke (46), Worsley for Jones (57),
Gomez for Dawson (63), Rudzki for Davison (57),
Winters for Diprose (63).
Not Used: Hayter, J. Taumalolo.
Tries: Sanderson.
Cons: Burke.
Pens: Dunne.
Att: 9,980
Ref: Roy Maybank (RFU).
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