Survival hopes remain high although Back laments limitations

Leeds could have climbed off the foot of the table with victory but in a performance racked by anxiety, Back's inexperienced squad made too many errors and lacked the pace and guile to create any clear-cut try-scoring chances.

The defeat leaves them five points adrift of Worcester – who were held to a draw by fellow strugglers Gloucester – and with 10 games remaining there is still plenty of time for Leeds to achieve their goal of survival in the Premiership and so earn the full share status guaranteed to them by Premier Rugby.

"There's still 50 points to play for," said head coach Back.

"And while ever there's points to compete for and still a chance we will keep our confidence and belief, keep fighting and trying to do our best."

For the first time in his 18 months at the club, however, Back – who had a glittering playing career with Leicester and England – revealed a little frustration over the resources at his disposal.

"We know where we are as a squad," he admitted. "They are growing with every game and continue to do so.

"We are where we are because the facts are we run on half the salary budget of the teams we're up against.

"The guys won't fail this year through a lack of effort. If we don't achieve our objective it's because we are just not good enough.

"Once we achieve our goal we will get that extra money divied out by Premier Rugby and that will make a big difference next season and will make everything a little easier."

Back conceded that defeat was hard to take for all involved at the club as well as for the season-high crowd of 7,593 which shivered inside Headingley Carnegie.

Former Bradford Bulls rugby league player Shontayne Hape set up the decisive try for Michael Stephenson, but for Back, everything good about Bath's play stemmed from Leeds's poor judgment.

"We beat ourselves," said Back, whose side head to Harlequins next Saturday.

"There was only one team in it early doors and it was a game that we lost rather than they won.

"Two vital lineouts were won by Bath. They're very experienced at lineouts and they read a couple of critical ones today.

"We missed too many one-on-one tackles and it was a soft try that they scored with too many individual mistakes.

"When you miss tackles you're in trouble.

"It's also down to composure, knowing the time that's left on the clock and not getting anxious, all of which comes through experience.

"At Newcastle we kept our composure, against Bath, we were a little hasty.

"There were times when we needed to make touch and didn't and not finding touch is inexcusable."