Joe Cokanasiga and Zach Mercer press their England claims as Bath pick up first win of the season
Harlequins 32-37 Bath: England hopefuls score twice to ease pressure on Todd Blackadder but Quins just fall short after late second-half rally
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Joe Cokanasiga scored two tries as Bath ran out 37-32 winners during an entertaining Gallagher Premiership match at Harlequins.
The wing scored either side of half-time, while No 8 Zach Mercer also added two tries as Todd Blackadder's men claimed their first win of the season.
However, Bath were made to work by the hosts late on as Joe Marler and Charlie Mulchrone scored to give the home fans some hope following earlier scores from Danny Care and Joe Marchant.
Bath had the majority of possession in the opening stages, but it was not until the 10-minute mark that the game burst into life.
The visitors got off the mark first in slightly fortuitous circumstances, a grubber kick by Jackson Willison got caught in a tangle of legs, Cokanasiga picked up the loose ball off the deck before offloading to the onrushing Jamie Roberts, who touched down against his former side.
Quins responded immediately, first with a penalty from Marcus Smith, before Ben Tapuai offloaded from the ground to Care, who juggled the ball before eventually touching down under the posts.
That was added to just three minutes later when James Chisholm again burst through the Bath line before unselfishly offloading to Marchant, who finished the move off.
Bath however would not be deterred and responded with 20 unanswered points. First Mercer bulldozed his way over from five metres out after a period of pressure on the Quins line.
A penalty and a very well-executed drop goal by Freddie Burns put the visitors up by three points, but the half was rounded off by an incredible piece of juggling by Cokanasiga - who managed to keep control of the ball and touch down in the corner despite pressure from Luke Wallace.
He nearly repeated the feat again minutes later - but his hand was ruled in touch by a matter of millimetres before the ball was.
Bath started the second half as they ended the first with a try by Cokanasiga, who got on the end of pass by Freddie Burns after he broke through the Quins line.
Quins responded with a penalty from Smith, but in truth it was never going to spark a comeback against a well disciplined Bath side.
The visitors extended their lead even further with their fifth try of the afternoon, Mercer dancing down the wing before cutting inside and racing towards the line.
Semesa Rokoduguni went into the sin-bin for the visitors late on - and two late tries by Marler and Mulchrone ensured a tense finish.
However, the home side could not get the last score as Bath held on for their first win of the season.
Teams
Harlequins: Morris, Earle, Marchant, Tapuai, Walker, Smith, Care, Lambert, Elia, Collier, Symons, Lamb, Wallace, Robshaw, J Chisholm.
Replacements: Ward, Marler, Swainston, South, Bothma, Mulchrone, Lang, Lasike.
Bath: Homer, Rokoduguni, Willison, Roberts, Cokanasiga, Burns, Green, Catt, Dunn, Thomas, Stooke, Charteris, Ellis, Underhill, Z Mercer.
Replacements: Walker, van Rooyen, Perenise, Ewels, Faletau, Cook, Priestland, Brew.
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
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