Match Centre: Bath Rugby 27-14 Northampton Saints

Bath Rugby 27-14 Northampton Saints, Recreation Ground

Bath have registered their first win in the ongoing Premiership season as they defeated Northampton Saints 27-14 in the latest round of the Gallagher Premiership at Recreation Ground.

This is first win for Bath under director of rugby Johann van Graan as they climb to the 10th place in the table while Northampton Saints are at fifth position.

Both the teams were desperate for the opening points and it did not come until the 20th minute as Ollie Lawrence and Cameron Redpath combined to send Miles Reid over the line for the opening try and George Worboys kicked the conversion to make it 7-0.

It was also the first points for Worboys in the Premiership and he also followed with his second conversion after Bath set an attacking line out from which Tom rom which Dunn burst over before the break as the home side completed the opening half with a 14-0 lead.

Northampton looked attacking early in the second half but firm defence from Bath kept them on hold. Eventually the Saints got their first points in the 53rd minute as Tom Collins scored in the corner and a conversion from James Grayson narrowed the gap down to seven points.

Nevertheless, Bath extended the lead further with this time Cameron Redpath intercepted from 40 metres out to score and Worboys added a penalty and a conversion on either side to make it 24-7. Northampton clawed their way back when Sam Graham burrowed over following a rumbling maul and George Furbank's conversion made it 24-14.

However, Bath ensured they did have slip up this time as they held their nerve with Worboys' second penalty goal sealing a 13-point victory.

Team line up:

Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Butt; Worboys, Schreuder; Schoeman, Dunn, Coetzee, Attwood, Roux, Bayliss, Reid, De Carpentier

Reserves: Ojomoh, Searle, Carr-Smith, Hill, Lee-Warner, Rae, Cordwell, Annett

Northampton: Furbank; Collins, Proctor, Dingwall, Sleightholme, Grayson, Mitchell; Waller, Matavesi, Hill, Salakaia-Loto, Ribbans, Coles, Ludlam, Augustus

Reserves: Hendy, Litchfield, James, Graham, Moon, Petch, Iyogun, Smith