Premiership: Bath 21-17 Harlequins – Will Muir tries help hosts win

Bathtub secured their first back-to-back Premiership wins since March with a dogged 21-17 victory over Harlequins.

Cadan Murley’s attempt on half-time pushed Quins’ benefit out however Will Muir scored twice for Bathtub after the break to take the lead.

George Hammond’s attempt made it 18-17 to arrange a tense finale, however a Spencer penalty wrapped up a formidable win.

Backside of the desk Bathtub got here into the match off the again of two defeats in Europe, however having lastly acquired their first win of the season at Worcester within the Premiership earlier than the break.

Nevertheless, with an intensive damage checklist nonetheless enduring and Charlie Ewels, Orlando Bailey and Will Stuart all known as as much as the England squad, it took Quins simply two minutes to interrupt their line.

Minutes later a Danny Care cross-field kick picked out Nick David, who went over the try-line however dropped the ball.

The stress didn’t let up and Quins ultimately acquired a deserved attempt after some fast passing set off David, who offloaded to Lamb to go over within the nook.

Bathtub had been the joint-lowest try-scorers within the league previous to kick-off and their lack of a killer intuition was initially evident, even after Quins’ Tyrone Inexperienced was despatched to the bin for a deliberate knock down.

Two line-outs inside 5 metres of the road got here to nothing, Cameron Redpath broke the road however his kick bumped into contact, whereas Max Ojomoh virtually arrange Muir after a turnover ball.

Nonetheless, the penalty rely rapidly started to rack up in opposition to Harlequins – themselves lacking the likes of Marcus Smith, Alex Dombrandt, Joe Marler, Joe Marchant and Luke Northmore to England obligation – with mortgage signing Nathan Hughes making a major influence for the hosts, as Ben Spencer kicked six factors over.

However once more Bathtub threw away one other try-scoring alternative, messing up a opportunistic line-out which was stolen. Quins then raced down the opposite finish to attain, as winger Murley pounced on a numerical benefit.

The break did Bathtub good as they got here again out firing, with Muir taking solely three minutes to attain, breaking a deal with and holding off one other to go over within the nook.

Deep in Harlequins’ 22, Bathtub drilled by the phases and, whereas Ewan Richards was deemed to have been held up over the road, an extended move from Redpath gave Muir his second.

Quins had been nameless however with lower than 10 minutes to go Hugh Jones acquired over the acquire line, setting off Inexperienced – who had Hammond on his outdoors – to make it 18-17.

Bathtub have misplaced 4 matches this season by fewer than seven factors however crucially held on this time, successful an enormous scrum penalty from which Spencer wrapped up their second victory.

Bathtub head coach Neal Hatley advised BBC Radio Bristol:

“I could not be extra happy, for Dave Williams [attack and backs coach], for Mark [Lilley, scrum coach], for the teaching group.

“It was a tricky week final week, quick week, after which to return out in opposition to the reigning champions and pull that out of the bag, I am actually happy for the boys.

“I assumed the boys are beginning to actually become familiar with what Brent’s [Janse van Rensburg, defence coach] making an attempt to do. We appeared higher transferring the ball.

“Nathan Hughes went nicely, did not he. I assumed Ben Spencer was completely excellent, bringing him onto the ball. However Nate’s accomplished nicely, accomplished rather well for us.”

Harlequins senior coach Tabai Matson:

“If we boil all of it down, we solely had 27% of the ball. For us, for anybody, that isn’t going to be sufficient, not to mention in an away fixture.

“We did not have the ball sufficient, and what underpinned that was dropping the aerial battle actually poorly tonight. I do not know what number of instances we dropped it or had a turnover in that first ruck.

“Give Bathtub credit score. I feel earlier than the sport I mentioned they had been going to break some folks’s weekends, and so they have, as a result of they took their alternatives.”

Bathtub: Rokoduguni, Hamer-Webb, Joseph, Redpath, Muir, Ojomoh, B Spencer; Cordwell, Du Toit, Rae, McNally (c), Williams, Ellis, Richards, Hughes.

Replacements: Doughty, Vaughan, Verden, W Spencer, Coetzee, Simpson, Butt, Prydie.

Harlequins: Inexperienced, David, Jones, Esterhuizen, Murley, Allan, Care; Garcia Botta, Walker (c), Collier, Symons, Tizard, Lamb, Wallace, Taulani.

Sin bin: Tyrone Inexperienced (17)

Replacements: Riley, Els, Kerrod, Hammond, White, Gjaltema, Beard, Lynagh.

Referee: Tom Foley (RFU).