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Brave Bath beaten
6:35pm Sunday 12th October 2008
Guinness Premiership leaders Bath suffered a heartbreaking last-minute 18-16 Heineken Cup defeat at the hands of giants Toulouse despite outscoring the French champions two tries to none.
The home side had a three-point edge at half-time, leading by two penalties from David Skrela to one from Butch James before Skrela extended Toulouse's lead with another penalty three minutes into the second half. But Bath hit back with the first try of the game - a 48th minute touchdown from Michael Claassens.
The French number 10 put over two second-half penalties with James landing one to set up a grandstand finish, and Bath looked to have claimed a famous win when Nick Abendanon scored an unconverted try with three minutes to go. But Bath were unable to hold on and Skrela eased Toulouse to a narrow two-point victory with the last kick of the game, clipping over a penalty.
Bath started the contest well, pinning Toulouse back inside their own half, but it took 12 minutes for the early pressure to pay off, James kicking a 40-metre penalty to give them a 3-0 lead.
Three penalties from Skrela then opened up a six point lead for the French side before Bath got the first try of the afternoon when Byron Kelleher's clearance kick was charged down by Michael Lipman and Claassens pounced to score. James missed the conversion but the Toulouse lead had been shaved to one point.
But Skrela kicked Toulouse into a 12-8 lead in the 59th minute after Matt Stevens was caught using his hands in a ruck.
The France international then missed a chance to stretch his side's cushion back to four points in the 68th minute, pushing a penalty wide to the left, but he made no mistake with another penalty with 10 minutes to go.
But Bath hit back with a second try in the 77th minute to snatch a one-point lead, Abendanon touching down after Bath ignored a goal-kicking chance and opted to launch a late attack.
James missed the conversion, but Bath had a one-point lead with two minutes to play and they made it clear they intended to try to run the clock down for a memorable victory.
But Bath conceded one penalty too many and Skrela sent the home fans into relieved delirium with the final kick of the match.
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