Bath bounce back to overpower out-of-form Ulster in European opener

Stunning second-half comeback by hosts leaves scoreline at the Recreation Ground looking ugly for province who lose third in a row 

ALL SHE WROTE: Bath's Joe Cokanasiga celebrates scoring a late try with teammates. Pic: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

Bath 37 Ulster 14

Ulster's testing start to the season continued as they opened their Champions Cup campaign with an ultimately conclusive 37-14 defeat to Bath at the Recreation Ground.

Having lost back-to-back URC contests to Scottish opposition, a third defeat on the spin puts the province's European campaign on the back foot immediately. 

The foundations were laid by the Bath pack who overpowered their opponents in the second half, particularly in the scrum, as the home side recovered from a half-time deficit to claim the win.

Ulster had led 14-8 at the break through tries from Billy Burns and Nathan Doak but conceded three tries themselves in the last 10 minutes.

England wing Joe Cokanasiga touched down twice - once in the first half - and the other Bath tries went to Tom Dunn, Thomas du Toit and Matt Gallagher. Skipper Ben Spencer kicked two penalties and two conversions with another going to Orlando Bailey.

Both sides showed plenty of ambition early on, with Bath number eight Alfie Barbeary punching great holes in the visitors' first line of defence but there were no points on the board in a first quarter of thrust and counter-thrust.

Ulster had no problem finding the edges but too often threw a wild pass, either into touch or forward of the receiver.

Bath took time to sort out a misfiring lineout so they opted for a kick at goal rather than attempt a catch-and-drive after 15 minutes but Finn Russell's effort was wide.

Despite the presence of World Cup-winner Steven Kitshoff in the Ulster front row, Bath began to gain an edge in the scrum and that platform finally provided the opening score.

The Ulster pack buckled and Spencer threw a 30-metre scoring pass to Cokanasiga in the right corner.

Spencer could not convert but added a penalty five minutes later, but only after right wing Rob Baloucoune intervened twice to snuff out try-scoring opportunities.

A bizarre try then let Ulster back into the game as a loose ball rebounded off Ollie Lawrence's shin and into the path of Burns who dotted down behind the posts, with Doak adding the conversion.

Doak touched down for another converted try after Jacob Stockdale attacked from his own 22 and James Hume and Baloucoune exchanged passes to send the scrum-half away.

Bath went in at the break wondering how they were trailing by six points but restored their lead four minutes into the second half with a trademark Dunn catch-and-drive try.

Spencer converted from wide out and then rewarded his pack's growing influence on the game with a penalty just short of the hour.

As Du Toit came off the bench to tangle with fellow Springbok Kitshoff, the Ulster scrum was already fighting a rearguard battle, even more so when replacement lock Matty Rea was sin-binned for one too many infringements.

Lawrence, Miles Reid and Du Toit went close as the Ulster scrum defended desperately but Du Toit kept up his remarkable scoring record with a 69th-minute drive to the line, with Spencer converting.

Cokanasiga grabbed his second in the 72nd minute after Lawrence burst clear and still had the poise to slip a back-hand offload to his right wing. Not content with that, Bath added a fifth through Gallagher, converted by Bailey on the final whistle.

PA