Please use the buttons below to see more information on London Wasps and matches between Irish and Wasps over the years.

Bath 23 London Irish 21

Paddy Lennon reports from the Recreation Ground, Bath

For the second time in eight days London Irish lost to Bath in a dramatic finale by a narrow margin making it the fourth time that the Exiles have lost to the West Country team by less than three points in two seasons.

For the second time in eight days London Irish lost to Bath in a dramatic finale by a narrow margin making it the fourth time that the Exiles have lost to the West Country team by less than three points in two seasons.

While Irish may feel that the ghosts that inhabit the city’s famous Roman centre keep a protective shroud over events at the Recreation Ground, realists among the Exiles’ management and supporters will admit that crucial errors were the undoing of their team in Saturday’s close encounter.

For the second weekend in succession Irish worked hard throughout the eighty minutes. An objective assessor would have conceded that they were the better team on the day. The pack, led courageously by Ryan Strudwick, proved a match for their much vaunted opponents and never allowed them to dominate as they had done the previous weekend at Madejski Stadium. The rolling maul that had caused so much damage in Reading was stifled at its origins with the result that the home side was never able to use this tactic to inflict try-scoring damage on their visitors.

Bath had to turn to a more conventional damage causing resource and that was ably supplied by fly half, Chris Malone. Irish’s bouts of indiscipline and errors were severely punished by a combination of the referee’s whistle and Malone’s boot! His tally of 18 points included two well struck drop goals, the second of which in the 83rd minute was to prove crucial to the outcome of the game.

Irish got off to the perfect start in the third minute when a long clearance by Barry Everitt found touch inside the Bath 22 helped by a home player’s hand. Michael Horak followed up and took a quick throw catching the Bath defence unawares. Horak’s throw went straight to Nils Mordt who had the strength to push by one defender and touch down left of the posts. Everitt converted to give Irish a 7-0 lead.

Encouraged by the early score Irish settled and were able to resist the inevitable onslaught by the home side. All 15 players were called upon in defence, Barry Everitt in particular. Making his first start in eight games, the Exiles’ fly half ‘s tactical kicking was vital and he did not disappoint, relieving pressure and securing attacking field positions.

The visitors’ resistance was broken finally at the end of the opening quarter when a chip ahead by Paul Sampson was chased by the speedy Alex Crockett who beat the covering defenders to the touch down.

The Bath captain, Jonathon Humphreys, a constant source of trouble in attack and defence, piled on the pressure with his pack and forced Irish to defend. Time and again the Irish forwards had to dig deep to resist. Inevitably, there were anxious moments and time outs for injury, including one to the Exiles’ outstanding loose head prop, Neal Hatley. In addition, Irish’s discipline was tested to the limit and found wanting with warnings to players from the referee.

The half was in its final five minutes when Bath were awarded a penalty for offside, Malone slotted the ball between the uprights to give his team a one point lead for the first time in the match. Two minutes later Barry Everitt had a drop goal attempt drift wide, however, he was luckier in the first minute of injury time with a penalty from 35 metres to restore the lead to Irish. That proved to be short lived when Malone kicked his second penalty just before the half-time whistle to leave the score at the break 11-10 in favour of the home side.

The opening ten minutes of the second half saw the pattern of the first continue with little to choose between the sides. Both were defending well and coping capably with all attacking initiatives. Everitt and Malone exchanged penalties in the 44th and 49th minutes respectively to leave the home side with a one point advantage. That was extended crucially in the 59th minute by a well taken drop goal by Malone.

Paul Sackey made a characteristic break down the right touchline in the 61st minute and won a lineout within ten metres of the Bath try line. However, Irish turned over the ball and the chance was gone. That was the start of another series of expensive handling errors by Irish that resulted in lost possession.

The game was well into its final quarter when Malone and Everitt exchanged penalties once again either side of the 70th minute. In the 78th minute Irish kicked a penalty to touch, they won the lineout and set up an attacking position. Declan Danaher emerged with the ball and was unlucky to be pushed into touch leaving the score 20-16.

For the second time in eight days the match moved into injury time crucially balanced. Irish continued to attack. From a ruck in midfield 35 metres out, the ball was fed first to Nick Greenstock, who passed to Michael Horak coming at pace, he found Paul Sackey on his right and the winger sped past three defenders to touch down in the corner. Everitt was unlucky with the difficult conversion, however Irish had a one point lead.

Irish failed to make the ball safe from the re-start, allowing the Bath centre Crockett to secure the ball, he went to ground and the ball was recycled quickly to Malone who dropped the match-winning goal from 35 meters. And so for the second season in succession defensive frailty saw the Exiles loose by less than three points at the Rec.

Scorers: Bath: Try: Crockett 19. Drop goals: Malone 2 (59, 83). Penalty goals: Malone 4 (37, 40+5, 49, 69). London Irish: Try: Mordt 3, Sackey 81. Conversion: Everitt. Penalty goals: Everitt 3 (40+1, 44, 74).

Scoring sequence (Bath first): 0-7, 5-7, 8-7, 8-10, 11-10 (half-time) 11-13, 14-13, 17-13, 20-13, 20-16, 20-21, 23-21.

Referee: D Pearson (RFU)