The ball was cleared by Parma, but moments later picked up by Olly Barkley who palmed off the Italian defence to run diagonally across the park towards the wing.  Parma’s defence prevented Barkley from getting across the halfway line, and it took the swift passing from Shaun Berne, who had just come on as a blood replacement for Alex Crockett, to get the ball to Stephenson and then Abendanon, who sprinted down the wing. 

After 22 minutes, Parma made an aggressive attempt of their own to change the current zeros on the scoreboard and took the ball to inches away from the try line, but Nick Abendanon was waiting and he wasted no time in passing to Shaun Berne who slipped through midfield and passed to Barkley who raced on ahead. Again, Bath were met with a strong defence from the visitors and Barkley’s charge was halted much to the crowds dismay.

Two attempts before the half-time whistle were made by the home team to win five points, firstly by Andrew Higgins who had dragged his way over the try line with Parma desperately hanging at his feet and then by Michael Claassens who made the most of the packs drive over the line.  Both lost the ball in the process of grounding and no points were scored.

With the clock ticking six minutes into injury time, and the crowd thinking that Bath may leave the pitch without any points, the fans were given an exciting display by the club captain as he rampaged over the line for a try, having received the ball from Michael Lipman who had punched a hole through the Parma defence in the 22.  Barkley’s conversion took the half-time score to 7 – 0 to Bath.

Bath came back onto the pitch for the second half having picked up the anti, and immediately took the ball into Parma’s 22.   It looked as though another try was on the cards for the home side, but no points were awarded and the ball was cleared by Galon. James attempted to rectify the single figures on the scoreboard, and made a smooth pass to Michael Lipman who slipped the ball to Lee Mears, who went on the charge.  Unfortunately for the home team, the Italian defence prevented Mears getting past the 22.

Twenty minutes into the second half, Bath drove the ball to within feet of the try line once again and although Bath retained possession, it did not look as though they were going to win anymore points, until Crockett exploded midfield to soar over the line, taking the score, after a Barkley conversion, up to 14 – 0 to Bath.

The heat was back on the visitors, when Jonny Faamatuainu, having received the ball from Barkley, made a show and go and sprinted up midfield.  Parma attempted to hold off the home team, but failed to catch Butch James who cleverly slipped the ball to an awaiting Olly Barkley, who won Bath a further seven points by his hand and his boot after 66 minutes.

It was a mere nine minutes later that Bath imposed their presence on the pitch once again, driving the ball over the line for Jonny Faamatuainu to ground for a try.  Butch James made the conversion, taking the final score to 28 – 0 to Bath Rugby.

Bath Rugby:

15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Andrew Higgins, 13 Alex Crockett, 12 Olly Barkley (Shaun Berne 67mins), 11 Michael Stephenson (Matt Banahan 51mins), 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Claassens, 1 Matt Stevens, 2 Lee Mears (Pieter Dixon 67mins), 3 Paulica Ion (Laurence Ovens 67mins), 4 Steve Borthwick (capt), 5 Peter Short, 6 Andy Beattie (Jonny Faamatuainu 45mins), 7 Michael Lipman, 8. Daniel Browne.

Overmach Parma:

15 Ezio Galon (capt), 14 Riccardo Pavan, 13 Roger Randle, 12 Gilberto Pavan, 11 Andrea Orsi (Giulio Rubini 50mins), 10 Barry Irving, 9 Pietro Travagli, 1 German Fontana (Abraham Winter 49mins), 2 Bruno Masetti, 3 Fabio Stabaino (Alberto De Marcha 70mins), 4 Brad Taylor, 5 Pelu Taele, 6 Pablo Sciaretta (Mantvydas Tveraga 69), 7 Juan Martin Soffredini, 8 Alex Ainley.