Bath, who lost the first Premiership fixture to Newcastle in August 1997,
today marked the 1,000th match of the competition with victory over Harlequins
at The Stoop.
Andrew Higgins signalled his return from injury with the decisive try after 65
minutes as Bath rallied from 10-3 down and kept Harlequins scoreless for nearly
an hour.
Simon Keogh's try had earned Harlequins the lead after 22 minutes but Bath
winger Keiron Lewitt came off the bench and scored with his first touch in
Premiership rugby to make it 10-8 at the interval.
Chris Malone's drop goal then gave Bath a narrow advantage before Lee Best fed
Higgins down the right and Harlequins were condemned to their fourth successive
defeat of the season.
Worcester may remain narrow favourites for the drop this year, but unless
Harlequins can stop the rot it is a fate that might yet befall them.
As Bristol and Rotherham have found in recent years, relegation can threaten
the very future of the club.
The Premiership, with all the money involved, now really is the only place to
be. It is a competition that has grown in quality and appeal and over the last
seven years.
The cumulative attendances on the opening weekend of the first Premiership
season was 28,370; this year 82,358 streamed through the gates and today's
fixture at a dank, grey Stoop was a sell-out.
The landmark nature of the match aside it was an unremarkable contest, though
no doubt a fixture Lewitt and Higgins will remember for some time to come.
Bath had lost Joe Maddock to a hamstring strain yesterday and with Brendan
Daniel nursing a stiff back, full-back Best and Higgins were given their first
starts of the season.
And with fly-half Malone fit again, Olly Barkley was switched to inside
centre, the preferred position for Bath's management if not the player himself.
It was Malone's teasing chip into the corner that put Harlequins under
pressure in the opening minute as the ball nestled just in-field and forced
Keogh to run into a wall of chasing defenders.
Bath began the game with purpose, running hard and straight - a tactic
assisted by Harlequins policy of testing Best under the high ball, trying to
make the most of the damp, difficult conditions.
But the 24-year-old, who underwent a knee reconstruction last November, dealt
with the challenge well and after some slick handling through the backs, Bath
moved ahead with a fifth-minute penalty from Barkley.
Jeremy Staunton replied in kind three minutes later after Bath were caught on
the wrong side of the ruck and as both sides relied heavily on the boot, it was
unsurprising the first try came from a turnover.
Bath flanker Michael Lipman popped the ball up from the deck and Tony Diprose
snatched the interception, fed the ball out via Andy Reay to Keogh 40 metres
out.
After a neat kick and chase, the Irish winger dived on the ball and Staunton's
conversion opened Harlequins a 10-3 lead.
Barkley was struggling with the boot and missed consecutive penalties before
Bath hit Harlequins with a swift counter-attack, finished off magnificently by
debutant Lewitt.
The England Under-19 international had only just arrived on the field as a
replacement for Alex Crockett when he was fed the ball wide on the left and he
stood up Harlequins full-back Gavin Duffy and beat him on the outside.
Barkley missed a third kick and Bath, frustrated at trailing 10-8 as they
headed down the tunnel for half-time, emerged a more powerful force up front and
almost scored a second try.
After Rob Fidler stole a lineout, Bath were decamped in the Harlequins 22 and
although the hosts defended valiantly and eventually forced the turnover,
Feaunati charged down the clearance and Lipman touched down.
Harlequins were saved by the television official, who adjudged the ball had
been knocked forward, but Malone clipped over a 35-metre drop-goal to earn Bath
an 11-10 lead.
Bath then kept Harlequins at bay with some determined defence of their own - a
last-ditch tackle stopping Staunton just short of the line - before extending
their advantage to 18-10.
Lipman fed Best who spun the ball wide and Higgins celebrated his recovery
from ankle ligament damage by scooting in down the right for a victory that was
preserved by some stout defence to deny Harlequins what might yet prove a vital
bonus point.
Teams
Harlequins: Harlequins: Duffy, Monye, Harder, Reay, Keogh, Staunton,
So'oialo, Jones, Tiatia, Dawson, Rudzki, Miall, Sheriff, Vos,
Diprose.
Replacements: James for So'oialo (67), Fuga for Tiatia (68),
Fitzgerald for Dawson (50), Winters for Miall (49),
Molitika for Sheriff (67).
Not Used: Horstmann, Dunne.
Tries: Keogh.
Cons: Staunton.
Pens: Staunton.
Bath: Best, Crockett, Fleck, Barkley, Higgins, Malone, Walshe,
Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Fidler, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman,
Fea'unati.
Replacements: Davey for Best (65), Lewitt for Crockett (34),
Wood for Walshe (53), Stevens for Barnes (34),
Mears for Humphreys (64), Delve for Lipman (79).
Not Used: Hudson.
Tries: Lewitt, Higgins.
Cons: Barkley.
Pens: Barkley.
Drop Goals: Malone.
Att: 8,844
Ref: Chris White (RFU).
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