Garside on target to keep Bath in charge

BATH remain joint top of the table with Exeter after Alfie Garside’s last-minute penalty gave them a 20-17 win at Cardiff Met.

Bath had led 17-3 on 73 minutes thanks to tries from Ethan Staddon and Jasper Spandler, and though Cardiff hit back through Gabe Mead and Benji Williams to level heading into the final minute, Garside kicked the winning points.

Full-back Zach Rodber said: “It was a whole team effort there. We see each other as brothers on the pitch, have a great culture and always work together as a unit all week and that translates into great team performances.”

Rivals Hartpury also had to rely on a last minute penalty to beat a university from the Welsh capital as Harri Williams struck the winning kick to see off Cardiff 22-20. The result extended their gap ahead of seventh-placed Cardiff to five points, as the Welsh side’s losing run reached the same figure.

Exeter also won a very tight game late on, with the visitors’ winning try coming through Harvey Dunn as they beat bottom club Leeds Beckett 24-17.

Loughborough are just a point behind the leaders thanks to a 47-33 win against Swansea. Charlie Titcombe’s 17 points off the tee and a fine individual display from Sam Kildunne, one of six different try scorers, saw them home. Swansea remain in the play-off places as Nottingham were beaten by a Max Pepper-inspired Durham, who moved into the home quarter final places with a 29-14 win.

In the Women’s National League, Hartpury put themselves on the verge of winning the league as they beat Exeter 27-15 away from home. Edinburgh trail by four points heading into the final round after a 22-17 win away at Cardiff Met, while bottom club Durham will face a relegation play-off after a 47-26 defeat at second-bottom Loughborough.