Quins pressure tells as Jones seals comeback

Harlequins 21 Bath 14

There is some exciting rugby being played at the Twickenham Stoop these days, and it is not just by Harlequins either. The Premiership's fancy Dans seem to manage to bring out the best in their opponents.

This time it was the turn of Bath to contribute mightily to a thoroughly entertaining match which went right to a thrilling finish, the West Country team pressing hard after Harlequins had stolen into the lead after their Welsh prop Ceri Jones crashed over from close range with some 20 minutes remaining of the match.

Until that moment the two sides had slugged it out blow for blow, trading penalties through Nick Evans and Butch James, then a try apiece as they each attempted to secure victory. The result moves Quins up to fifth, while Bath dropped down to third.

Steve Meehan, the Bath head coach, had had an early warning of what was in store for his team, having detected some self assurance in the warm-up.

"They had a swagger about them, you could see that before the kick-off," Meehan said. But he added that he was pleased with his team's application. "I can't question the effort of the players, but we need a couple of things to go our way."

He was referring to a couple of bizarre decisions by the referee Martin Fox, but in truth Bath created plenty of opportunities. What needs to be noted is that this season Harlequins have been nigh-on faultless in defence. Harlequins' director of rugby Dean Richards admitted as much, after pointing out that Bath's try by the No 8 Daniel Browne was the product of a momentary lapse. Their recovery, though, was admirable. Shortly after the arrival of the replacement lock George Robson, who seemed to add more purpose and propulsion from the second row at set-piece and in the loose, they had levelled for the fourth time in the game when Jordan Turner-Hall was put over by the excellent Nick Evans.

Seven minutes of pressure followed as Quins camped out in the visitors' 22. It required a clever little reverse inside flick pass from the scrum-half Andy Gomarsall, who had proved a pain in the collective Bath backside throughout, to send in Jones from about two metres, for the clinching score and his first try of the season.

That touchdown sparked one of the most furious spells as Bath threw everything into saving the match, but Harlequins remained focused to hold out.

Scorers: Harlequins: Tries Turner-Hall, Jones; Conversion N Evans; Penalties N Evans 3. Bath: Try Browne; Penalties James 3.

Harlequins: M Brown; T Williams, De Wet Barry, J Turner-Hall, S Stegman; N Evans, A Gomarsall (J Poluleuligaga, 80+4); C Jones, T Fuga, M Ross, J Percival (G Robson, 62), J Evans, C Robshaw, W Skinner (capt), T Guest.

Bath: N Abendanon; M Stephenson, T Cheeseman (S Berne, 80+4), S Hape (E Fuimaono-Sapolu, 68), M Banahan; B James, M Claassens (capt; S Bemand, 72); D Flatman, P Dixon (R Hawkins, 79), D Bell (P Ion, 66), J Harrison (A Beattie, 66), P Short, S Hooper, J Faamatuainu (J Scaysbrook, 76), D Browne.

Referee: M Fox (Leicestershire)