Bath United scored 12 tries as they saw off a resolute UK Armed Forces side 76-0 in the final game of the season at the Recreation Ground.
Bath were on the scoresheet after three minutes through second rower Elliott Stooke. The platform was set by Robbie Fruean, who used his strength to break a few tackles before ball was popped up to Stooke, who powered his way over from close range. 5-0
Two minutes later Will Homer scored one of the tries of the season. The scrum-half bamboozled the opposition defence with a pick and go from halfway. The 21-year-old darted down the blindside and used every ounce of pace to score a memorable try under the posts. 12-0
It was nearly a length of the field effort to follow from the United side. Adam Hastings and Levi Davis combined with Rory Jennings, who kicked into centre field to Davis, who found himself just a few metres short of the try line. However, the pressure was soon to pay off when the ball was swept from right to left with Fruean feeding Clark, who sent a long pass out to Atkins and the winger touched down in the corner. 17-0
Atkins added a second try soon after with a superb solo effort. The Academy player broke through the UK Armed Forces defence before sidestepping the fullback to score under the posts. 24-0
Another winger was next to get himself on the scoresheet, as Levi Davis showed his electric pace and footwork for try number five. It was Beno Obano, who got the move going rampaging his way through a series of defenders before Davis finished in spectacular fashion. 31-0
A constant menace throughout the 80 minutes at the Rec, Robbie Fruean turned from provider to scorer, as the centre showed his turn of pace to run in from the halfway line. 36-0
Four minutes before the interval, Fruean’s centre partners Max Clark added a seventh try of the half. Rory Jennings sent a cross field kick into the path of Davis, who gathered excellently and offloaded to Clark for his third try in as many games. 41-0
With the half-time whistle imminent, there was to be one last flurry over the whitewash for Bath United. Despite some resolute defending, Fruean picked a hole with a dummy pass before setting up replacement scrum-half Chris Cook, who fought his way to the try line despite some last ditch tackles from the away side.
Half-time score – Bath United 48-0 UK Armed Forces
Despite the scoreline, the UK Armed Forces were quick out the blocks putting United under pressure for significant periods of the second-half. However, they were unable to break through the hard-hitting United defence, with David Sisi, Sam Nixon and Nathan Charles putting in some thunderous hits in a bruising encounter.
It took 12 minutes for the home side to register their first points of the second period and it was Atkins once again, who went over for a hat-trick. The winger started the move, but it was that man again, Fruean who sent the crucial pass wide to put Atkins over in the corner. 55-0
On his farewell appearance for the Club, Adam Hastings showed his presence with ball in hand, as the fullback surged into the visitors’ half before play was recycled to Fruean, who unselfishly passed to Duncan Craig to add a tenth try in the last game of the season at the Rec. 62-0
The penultimate try of the evening came from Davis, who showed his undoubted ability in the number 14 shirt. Despite having come off minutes earlier, he returned to the field with devastating effect to make it a double for the evening. 69-0
It was fitting that Fruean had the final say on proceedings, as the imposing back broke the clutches of the UK Armed Forces defence to set up Cook, who finished under the posts.
Full-time score – Bath United 76-0 UK Armed Forces
