Leeds Carnegie 15 Bath 20: Frustration grows deeper as Leeds miss opportunity

This one will hurt most, however, for the impact a win would have had not only on belief but on the rest of the Guinness Premiership.

Leeds would have climbed above Bath and off the foot of the table, but the result that would have announced to the rest of the league that the relegation race was no longer a foregone conclusion proved beyond them.

Racked by anxiety and riddled with errors, just as they had been against the Cherry and Whites, the Sharks and Quins, Leeds are still without a win in front of their hopeful home support who backed them with a season-high crowd of 7,593.

They began brimming with confidence on the back of three straight wins, against a proud side that looked edgy and nervous at the prospect of dropping into the relegation zone.

But as their attempts to penetrate floudered against an experienced side who eventually grew into the game, there was only going to be one winner in a frustrating second half.

Bath were superior in the lineout – former Tykes lock Stuart Hooper a particular menace – and had more pace in the backs through full-back Joe Maddock and wings Michael Stephenson and Matt Banahan.

To be fair, Leeds were always in the game and could have snatched it, had they not been undermined by individual errors, like failing to find touch with kicks and dropping off crucial tackles.

"Our game management second half wasn't good enough," admitted captain Marco Wentzel.

"We started really well but in the second half made too many mistakes.

"It would have been a massive win for us, not only because it would have taken us off the bottom but also because we are desperate for that first home win.

"In the end we only lost by a small margin which hurts even more than when you're hammered.

"We are in games against everyone – all but London Irish really – but we make big errors in crucial areas.

"It's very frustrating because we fix one thing and then another problem materialises.

"We are growing as a team but that is not good enough."

For all their confidence in the opening 25 minutes, Leeds could only build a 9-6 lead.

Nineteen-year-old Joe Ford was making his fifth start in two months as a deputy for injured Ceiron Thomas, and booted three out of four penalties, his only errant kick from five metres inside his own half.

As well as Banahan, Bath had a raft of England internationals in their side with hooker Lee Mears – playing his 200th game for the club – prop David Wilson and lock Danny Grewcock providing a core which belied their struggles.

Banahan had an early chance to stretch his legs when released by Maddock but Leigh Hinton was in quickly to force him out of play.

Leeds kept nudging ahead from the boot of Ford on the platform of the battering Seru Rabeni, Kearnan Myall and Alfie To'oala who made line-breaks from midfield.

Bath looked edgy in possession while Leeds were clearly up for the task, their hunger embodied by Myall who cut Stephenson in two as he collected a high ball.

However, despite their early superiority, Leeds found themselves behind on 28 minutes when Bath launched their first real attack on the strength of former rugby league man Shontayne Hape.

The former Bradford and Kiwi back brushed off tame attempted tackles by Rabeni and Henry Paul before finally being held up at the line by Hinton. Stephenson was following up though and crashed over.

Although he missed the conversion, Little kicked a penalty moments later to extend Bath's advantage to five.

Penalties either side of half-time by Ford nosed Leeds back in front in a ding-dong contest, but it was the last lead they would hold as a combination of nerves and a lack of creative ideas set in.

When they did penetrate through the superb Hendre Fourie the attack was launched from too deep and nullified quickly.

Little drove another kick through the uprights after a scrum infringement to give Bath the edge with 16 minutes left and Maddock threatened to extend that when he danced inside off the left wing before he was hauled down by Hinton and Fourie.

Experienced Bath hung on to the ball as the frustration grew as Leeds kicked away possession and then lost a crucial lineout to the towering Hooper deep inside enemy territory.

Little's fifth penalty three minutes from time put Bath five points ahead and with the hosts having rarely threatened the whitewash, it was effectuvely two scores, leaving Leeds still looking up at the rest of the English rugby elite.

Leeds Carnegie: Hinton, Armstrong (Fa'afili 71), Rabeni, H Paul, Blackett, Ford, Gomarsall (Mathie 60); MacDonald, Rawlinson, Gomez (McGee 60), Lund, Wentzel, Myall (Clark 55), Fourie, To'oala. Unused replacements: Nilsen, Hardy, Oakley, Mathie, Strange.

Bath: Maddock, Stephenson, Carraro, Hape, Banahan, Little, Claasens; Flatman (Barnes 60), Mears (Dixon 72), Wilson (Bell 69), Hooper, Grewcock (Short 69), Beattie, Salvi (Skirving 56), Watson. Unused replacements: Bemand, Davis, Cheeseman.

Referee: D Pearson.

Scorers

Leeds: pens - Ford 5

Bath: try - Stephenson; pens - Little 5.

MATCH FOCUS

Hero: Hendre Fourie

Leeds have a fearsome back row at present in Fourie, Kearnan Myall and Alfie To'oala but it is the former who makes the most telling

line-breaks and the most bone-crunching tackles.

Villain: Stuart Hooper

The former Leeds Tykes second row proved a constant menace in the lineout, stealing at least three as Bath dominated the set-piece. His most vital pinch came late in the game and deep in his own territory.

Key moment

28th minute –Shontayne Hape breaks through the attempted tackles of Seru Rabeni and Henry Paul far too easily on his way towards the whitewash to set up Michael Stephenson for the game's only and decisive try.

Verdict

The draw between Gloucester and Worcester was at least something to cling to as Worcester dropped to 11th, five points above Leeds. But Leeds cannot keep relying on immense performances away from home and must start winning at Headingley.

Quote of the day

It was a game we lost rather than they won.

– Neil Back laments his side's errors against Bath.

Next game

Harlequins, away; Guinness Premiership; Saturday, January 9.