Max Clark scores as Bath fight back to beat Harlequins
BATH maintained their push for a playoff place by pulling away from a dogged and resilient Harlequins side in the final quarter of a scrappy game that struggled to live up to the setting and perfect playing conditions.
Ultimately it was the powerful Bath scrum and their experienced halfbacks that prevailed but for a long while Quins looked the most likely winners and they will be hugely disappointed not securing at least a losing bonus point.
The could, with some justification, point to one or two calls from the referee Craig Maxwell-Keys that didn’t go their way at crucial times but Quins also paid the price for suddenly deciding they would try and outmuscle the Bath pack and employ the rolling maul.
Up until that point the Quins backs had looked to have the better of their opponents, scoring two tries and threatening others. Indeed it was Quins decision from the off to keep the game loose and free flowing that had made for the rather scrappy and frenzied game, but that approach was just beginning to pay off when they tightened up.
Twice towards the hour, when leading 12-9, they squandered absolutely prime attacking possession in the Bath half by trying to outmaul Bath and being turned over with their backs screaming for the ball.
Instead Bath finally steadied the ship after being under heavy pressure and Max Clark crashed over after their first meaningful visit to Quins territory since half-time. Rhys Priestland, beginning to become an influential figure at the Rec, converted and then completed the win with two well struck penalties.
Much earlier Priestland had got the game underway with another brace of penalties in an error strewn opening quarter. Perhaps the sunshine, fast-track and sun on their backs got both teams over-excited and attempting passes and offloads they haven’t thought about since the balmy days of Autumn. Whatever, it was a complete mess.
Such chaos though suited Quins more than Bath and a couple of delightful off-loads and halfbreaks from Ruaridh Jackson had more than a hint of his old Glasgow mentor Gregor Townsend.
Jackson hasn’t been lucky with injuries but is fully back in the swing now and if Scotland want to keep playing their faster tempo game they should look at Jackson again as back-up to Finn Russell.
Quins kept plugging away and finally produced some nice interplay and quick hands down the left touchline to create a try for Tim Visser, who jack knifed over the line to score a fine try. Visser was another Scot who rose above the general untidiness of the game.
The visitors continued to threaten but it was Bath who led going into half-time with Priestland again find- ing the target as Quins continued to transgress. It was a precarious advantage and six minutes into the half Quins scored a very good try indeed.
Matt Hopper found Rob Buchanan on the right touchline with a fast flat pass which split open the Bath defence while the hooker also made good ground before committing the final defender and off- loading expertly for Marland Yarde to score.
Quins seemed firmly in the driving seat and must still be wondering how they manged to leave Bath empty handed.