Sale 33 - Bath 32
Saturday 19 August 2000 Heywood Rd
Kick-off 15:00
Weather - Sunny
Attendance: 2,980............................Match report:
Referee: Ashley Rowden
The Bath Support was tremendous on what was a beautifully sunny day in Sale.

Despite scoring two excellent tries, Bath were left to rue some basic errors and indiscipline as they fell to an opening day defeat at Heywood Road against the Sale Sharks.

For the start of a new season under new head coach Jon Callard Bath were unable to name last year’s leading try scorer Iain Balshaw and US Eagles number 8 Dan Lyle, due to injury. Instead Rob Thirlby, an astute summer signing from Saracens made his debut on the right wing and Nathan Thomas was selected for the back row. Prop David Barnes also made a first league start, whilst Sale named no fewer than six debutantes. Bath couldn’t have made a worse start, conceding a penalty 40 metres out almost immediately from the kick off. Sale’s outside half Niki Little began his afternoon’s work by confidently slotting home the kick.

Bath responded in the right manner counter attacking at any given opportunity and deservedly drew level on five minutes. Sale were caught off side in midfield and Jon Preston coolly opened Bath’s account from 25 metres. The ex-All Black then hit a post with a second attempt before the home side were penalised for killing the ball and Preston kicked Bath in front for the first time.

Little responded in kind within two minutes after referee Ashley Rowden pulled up Bath for obstruction and the same player hit home a third kick moments later as the Sharks began to take control.

Falling behind again seemed to kick Bath into gear and after 28 minutes they scored their first try of the season. Mike Catt’s long pass found Matt Perry on the burst and England’s full back fed new boy Thirlby who showed real elusiveness to glide away from two would be tacklers and score a fine try in the corner. Preston added the conversion to put Bath in front at 13-9.

Straight from the kick off Sale were presented with an opportunity to reduce the gap when they were awarded another penalty. Little showed his deadly accuracy with a fourth successful kick. A real nip and tuck affair was developing but Bath put some breathing space between the sides with a second try on 36 minutes. Both Mike Tindall and Catt should have released passes as Bath created huge overlaps but decided to go alone, before the ball found its way to Perry who shimmied his way through to score under the posts. Preston added the extra points to put Bath 20-12 ahead. The games turning point arrived on the stroke of half time. Nathan Thomas was sent to the sin bin by referee Rowded for kicking the ball away and in the ensuing ten minutes, either side of half time, Bath were forced to play with fourteen men, Sale scored ten unanswered points. Firstly in first half injury time Sale scored a well worked try from a scrum close to the line the big home pack went close on a couple of occasions before ex-Scottish scrum half Bryan Redpath saw a gap to scoot over. Little converted to reduce the gap to one at the break.
Sale started the second half with a superb counter attack from winger Matt Moore. Moore raced 80 metres and seemed certain to score only to be denied by an excellent cover tackle from Thirlby. However from the resulting maul Bath were caught offside and Little put Sale in front again with an easy chance from in front of the posts. Bath as expected responded vehemently gaining two penalties within three minutes of each other. Preston sliced the first but made no mistake with the second from thirty metres out. Incredibly Sale took just two minutes to go back in front via a medium range little penalty before Bath once more took the lead, for what was to prove to be the time on the hour mark. Preston, who’s accuracy last season saw him return the best kicking percentage in the Premiership, silenced the home crowd with a long range 48 metre penalty. Sale beefed up their pack even more by bringing on popular lock Dave Baldwin for the effective Guy Manson-Bishop, which brought immediate dividends. Baldwin was involved in the forwards setting up good ball for Redpath who sniped down the blind and released a perfectly timed pass to England wing Steve Hanley. The 6ft 1in winger crashed trough a tackle showing real pace and power to notch Sale’s second try. Little missed the conversion ahead by 33 points to 26.

With time rapidly running out Bath made two changes bringing on Angus Gardiner for Gavin Thomas and Mark Gabey (for a debut) for Martin Haag. The fresh legs gave Bath added impetus and Preston took his tally to 22 with a brace of quick penalties to set up a grandstand finale.

Unfortunately for Bath, Mike Catt’s last minute long range drop goal attempt drifted wide and the match was over.
Bath Scorers
Trys:- Thirlby, Perry
Con:- Preston 2.....Pens:- Preston 6
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