Bath's hopes of winning the Zurich Premiership with a game to spare came
horribly unstuck after Harlequins completed an amazing fightback at The Stoop.
Long-time league leaders Bath looked home and dry at half-time, leading 22-9
thanks to a first minute penalty try and touchdown from centre Robbie Fleck and
full-back Matt Perry.
But they haplessly failed to build on that advantage, and after being clawed
back by the combined boots of goalkickers Paul Burke and Andy Dunne, they
conceded a try in the eighth minute of injury time.
Wing Simon Keogh was the Quins hero, and Dunne's conversion completed a
remarkable recovery that leaves Quins in fifth place and still firmly on course
for Heineken Cup qualification.
Bath, meanwhile, will finish top of the pile if they beat visitors Gloucester
in their final game next Saturday.
A home win would secure a place in the title play-off final at Twickenham on
May 29, but after today's dismal surrender, nothing can be taken for granted.
Bath are now just one point above Wasps, and if the West Country club are
beaten by Gloucester then Wasps will finish top as long as they defeat
Leicester.
Bath went into the game needing a victory and a winning bonus point, and were
safe in the knowledge that Wasps could not then catch them.
But their second half demise was totally unexpected as Quins showed terrific
character to carve out the most unlikely of victories.
Bath were ahead inside 60 seconds, claiming seven points from their first real
attacking effort.
Referee Dave Pearson awarded them a penalty try when Quins wing Matt Moore
deliberately knocked on from an offside position when the visitors had a two-man
overlap, and fly-half Chris Malone slotted the simple conversion.
Burke kicked two penalties to keep Quins in touch, but a fine solo try from
South African Fleck, converted by Malone, meant that Bath ended the first
quarter 17-6 ahead.
Burke duly completed his penalty hat-trick, yet Bath's dominance looked to be
complete eight minutes before the break after former England full-back Perry
sliced his way over to secure a 22-9 interval advantage.
Quins appeared to be facing a damage-limitation exercise, even when Burke
kicked his fourth and fifth penalties within 15 minutes of the restart.
Bath remained comfortable, and they sent on unsettled England ace Mike Catt in
what appeared to be a significant substitution 25 minutes from time.
Burke then contrived to miss three penalties in succession during a
potentially damaging 11-minute spell, but Bath still could not make the game
safe.
With six minutes of normal time remaining, they had flanker Andy Beattie
sin-binned, and that gave Quins a critical one-man advantage as the game
approached its finale.
Dunne, who had appeared off the bench, took over kicking duties from Burke and
narrowed the deficit with a penalty, and while Bath defended for their lives
during injury time, they ultimately ran out of numbers.
Keogh touched down amid dramatic scenes, and Dunne's conversion left Bath
wondering how on earth they could have lost a game they had in the bag at
half-time.
And such were Bath's shortcomings, that they could be on a hiding to nothing
when if, as expected, they meet Heineken Cup finalists Wasps in the play-off
final later this month.
Teams:
Harlequins: Duffy, Keogh, Greenwood, Deane, Moore, Burke,
Bemand, Jones, Hayter, Dawson, Davison, Miall, Sanderson, Vos,
Diprose.
Not Used: C. Dott, Worsley, Gomez, Evans, Sheriff, Jewell,
Dunne.
Tries: Keogh.
Cons: Dunne.
Pens: Burke 5, Dunne.
Bath: Perry, Human, Davey, Fleck, Danielli, Malone, Wood,
Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman,
Fea'unati.
Not Used: Martens, Mears, Clarke, Barkley, Catt, Scaysbrook,
Fidler.
Tries: Penalty, Fleck, Perry.
Cons: Malone 2.
Pens: Malone.
Att: 7,870
Ref: D Pearson (RFU).
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