Roncero's helping hand spares Bath

Bath 21 Gloucester 21

The beefy hand of an Argentine prop pointed Bath towards their second successive home draw, but assuredly a moral victory in the eyes of the majority of the capacity crowd at The Rec. Rodrigo Roncero was making his debut in the front row of the Premiership pacesetters as a late call-up, and ended it with the unwisest of dabbles at a ruck in the third minute of injury time. Olly Barkley, Bath's full-back, had kicked faultlessly up to that point, and was not about to spurn a sixth and equalising penalty goal.

The Rec rocked, in delight not just at the ruination of Gloucester's winning start to the season, not to mention their hopes of a first-ever league win here at the 12th attempt, but at the obdurate performance from the men in blue. Danny Grewcock's Bath pack knew their mettle was under the microscope, and they were not found wanting.

Grewcock might have been cooling his heels, or whatever part of the boot it was that the RFU originally decided he used to open a cut on the chin of Saracens' Kyran Bracken a fortnight ago. But a successful appeal against a five-week ban was won last Thursday evening, and the Bath captain did not take long to announce his presence, winning a Gloucester throw at the first line-out. And the home side got first points on the board when Chris Malone dropped a goal from 40 metres out.

But Gloucester have twice hammered sides at Kingsholm of late despite conceding early scores, and would not have panicked at being behind. Sure enough, two penalty goals from three attempts by Ludovic Mercier got them going. Then, after 18 minutes, a catalogue of errors that might have been typical of Bath last season, but not yesterday, brought the visitors' support to their feet.

They needed good eyesight from their corner of the ground, because it was at the clubhouse end that Barkley fumbled a punt into touch, affording Gloucester an attacking line-out in the Bath 22.

It went long to a two-handed catch by Junior Paramore and after a short drive, Andy Gomarsall spun away to the short side. A feeble tackle from Simon Emms failed to stop the scrum-half and James Forrester, supporting as a good openside flanker should, ran in the try.

Bath did not buckle. True, there was little spark in the backline – the continued absence of Mike Catt with hamstring trouble did not help – but the forwards resolutely stuck to the basics, going through phase after phase with commendable ball-retention. It earned them two penalty shots at the posts, for infringements at the breakdown, and Barkley's left boot made it 11-9 to Gloucester at half-time.

Doubtless many had come to The Rec fearing much worse, notwithstanding the visiting team's sorry record here. In fact, the swingometer of form in this tale of two rugby cities lurched into the Cherry and White zone when many of the current side won a cup tie in 2000, and last season it was a narrow 12-9 squeak in Bath's favour in the Premiership.

What Bath needed was a nerveless, steady start to the second half. What they got was a knock-on from Nathan Thomas from the kick-off, and nearly a Gloucester try, when the England wing prospects James Simpson-Daniel and Marcel Garvey loomed wide to the left. A smart interception by Alex Crockett saved Bath, and they were spared again when the Gloucester lock Rob Fidler charged through a gap but was penalised for holding in the tackle.

Garvey enjoyed a couple of runs without reaching the dizzying heights of his try hat-trick a week ago, and Simpson-Daniel moved into the centre when Robert Todd went off holding his arm to his side. But Gloucester saw three more points slip away when Mercier missed from 35 metres and Paul took over to land a penalty in the 57th minute.

The unkind might add that anything that does not involve Paul using his hands is good news, but there was no stopping him when, after Barkley's third penalty goal for Bath, Gloucester swept from left to right from a scrum, via a single ruck, and Simpson-Daniel put Paul over.

Paul's conversion made it 21-12 but still Bath were not to be shaken off. Mike Tindall carried the fight, doubtless earning approval from the watching England coaches Clive Woodward and Andy Robinson, and Barkley banked two more penalties after 67 and 71 minutes.

Gloucester were solid at a defensive line-out as the clock ticked down, but when Crockett forced yet another ruck into the visiting 22, Rodrigo did his worst, and Bath, though tryless for the fourth time in five matches, sang a song of redemption.

Bath 21 Gloucester 21
Pens: Barkley 6 Tries: Forrester, Paul
Drop: Malone Con: Paul
Pen: Mercier 2, Paul

Half-time: 9-11 Attendance: 8,200

Bath: O Barkley; T Voyce, A Crockett, M Tindall, S Danielli; C Malone, G Cooper; S Emms (D Barnes, 46), J Humphreys (L Mears, 56), A Galasso (J Mallett, 67), A Beattie (A Lloyd, 72), D Grewcock (capt), G Thomas (J Scaysbrook, 65), N Thomas, D Lyle

Gloucester: H Paul; M Garvey, T Fanolua, R Todd (T Delport, 53), J Simpson-Daniel; L Mercier, A Gomarsall; R Roncero, C Fortey (O Azam, 56), P Vickery (capt), R Fidler, M Cornwell, J Boer, J Paramore, J Forrester.

Referee: S Leyshon (Bristol).