Bath completed a league double over the Powergen Cup finalists to cement their
position at the top of the Zurich Premiership.
The win also guaranteed qualification for the Heineken Cup next season, the
declared goal of the coaching staff when they set about rebuilding the club's
fortunes after two years of relegation struggles.
Tries by Isaac Feaunati, outstanding at number eight, and back-row colleague
Michael Lipman saw off a determined effort by Sale, for whom Charlie Hodgson
made an encouraging return from injury at fly-half.
Their reward was a losing bonus point after prop Andrew Sheridan forced his
way over for a consolation try, converted by Hodgson with the last kick of the
game.
The eagerly-awaited duel between Hodgson and new England fly-half Ollie
Barkley lasted only an hour after the Bath man was led off looking dazed after a
couple of heavy knocks.
Bath handed the captaincy to Steve Borthwick and also welcomed back Mike
Tindall and Kevin Maggs, paired in the centre, Mike Catt at full-back and
Scotland international Simon Danielli on the wing.
For Sharks, fresh from a win over Gloucester a week ago but 18 points behind
Bath at the start, this was their last outing before their Twickenham date with
Newcastle in a fortnight.
Barkley kicked a third-minute penalty to open the scoring before Hodgson
received a muscular welcome back to Premiership rugby as Feaunati drove straight
through and over his tackle but just when Bath appeared about to turn pressure
into points Sale broke out from under their own posts.
Centre Chris Mayor was eventually hauled down in the Bath half by the chasing
Alex Crockett and it was all Bath could do to hold out at a series of ensuing
scrums on the line.
Just when it seemed they had weathered the storm, Hodgson charged down a lazy
clearance kick by Catt to score in the corner after 15 minutes, but too wide out
for him to convert.
It was nine minutes before Bath regained the lead, Feaunati scoring in the
corner after Tindall had first opened up the visitors' defence with a lovely
outside break. Barkley was unable to convert and Hodgson missed an even easier
penalty chance just before the break.
Soon afterwards Bath conjured a crucial second try, one of the best seen at the
Recreation Ground this season. Catt wriggled out of a challenge inside his own
22, found Lipman in support and the flanker found Wylie Human on the left wing
and the South African continued the move deep into the 22.
A punishing drive by prop Duncan Bell then made the room for Bath to stretch
Sale to breaking point and fittingly it was Lipman who claimed the try in the
corner.
Bath seemed to be running on empty for much of the second half, holding on to
their eight-point lead largely through willpower alone. Eventually replacement
fly-half Chris Malone landed a penalty in the fifth minute of injury time
although there was still time for Sheridan to claim his try.
Teams:
Bath: Catt, Crockett, Maggs, Tindall, Danielli, Barkley, Wood,
Flatman, Mears, Bell, Borthwick, Fidler, Beattie, Lipman,
Fea'unati.
Replacements: Scaysbrook for Tindall (76),
Human for Danielli (32), Malone for Barkley (62),
Martens for Wood (80), Hawkins for Mears (80),
Stevens for Bell (52), Gray for Beattie (80).
Tries: Fea'unati, Lipman.
Pens: Barkley, Malone.
Sale: Robinson, Cueto, Mayor, Baxendell, Hanley, Hodgson,
Wigglesworth, Sheridan, Titterell, Stewart, Fullarton, White,
Anglesea, Perrett, Davies.
Replacements: Walshe for Wigglesworth (55),
Cairns for Titterell (48), Day for Fullarton (80).
Not Used: Turner, Schofield, Going, Hercus.
Tries: Hodgson, Sheridan.
Cons: Hodgson.
Att: 9,980
Ref: Ashley Rowden (RFU).
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