🔗 Share this article

Things are progressing exceptionally well for Bath at this moment. Finally, their much-anticipated stadium upgrade appears set to proceed, and on the pitch, the reigning winners have won two from two after the first couple of weekends. With the star fly-half set to reappear in action next week to reclaim the fly-half baton, it is demands a seriously good side to dethrone them.

On a wet and windy night in Somerset, even so, they were forced to labor intensely by a tenacious Sale Sharks team who stuck in the fight and persisted until the end. It was only with just moments remaining that Max Ojomoh crossed the line to score his side’s bonus point try to preserve his squad’s unbeaten record to the competition.

This was Sale’s fourth straight defeat on their host’s stadium and the way it unfolded was mostly typical to previous performances. Bath make a virtue in applying pressure in the last 20 minutes of games, and here was yet another instance of it. The hosts might have simplified matters for themselves had they decided to go for an earlier penalty to widen the gap to eight points, but in the end, Ojomoh had the final word.

The observing England head coach the national team boss had an abundance of other players to evaluate, with Ollie Lawrence and the rapid winger also looking determined to impress him. the Sharks’ hooker scored a second-half try and is evidently a young player on the rise, while the leadership and pinpoint boots of the composed the veteran fly-half were notable in challenging elements.

The fly-half was a standout for the visitors despite the loss.

It was one more wet and miserable matchday when a roof on the open makeshift seating would have protected drenched spectators. Their entry passes can still cost £100, but a relief is imminent. After lengthy debates, official approval has been given for an 18,000-capacity stadium, with the heritage body and the government minister having approved the plan.

That merely leaves Bath waiting for official documentation, which the club are confident will be secured within a couple of months. And when Bath do eventually possess their own stadium by the river to match their remarkably squad depth, life is going to become even tougher for future visitors.

Not that Sale were in any mood to be intimidated in a physical if slightly staccato first half. Bath were unfortunate to lose their international forward the experienced player to a leg problem inside eight minutes, and the Sale’s pack also made some early headway. It was Bath, though, who dug in and notched the game’s opening touchdown, just when Sale were pushing forward they were unzipped down the left by Lawrence before the rapid Arundell whizzed around Tom O’Flaherty to score his maiden Premiership try at home for his long-supported side.

It was to be the narrative of the half: encouraging visiting flashes only for Bath to respond with lethal precision. The game was still under half an hour in when they found the line once more, Miles Reid slicing clear off the back of a Bath throw and feeding the inside center on his inside to score emphatically.

Fortunately Sale still had the exceptional Ford to stay within reach. The national number 10 had already converted a expertly taken penalty and a clever three-pointer when a Bath restart bounced straight to him on the midfield. Having taken a brief pause to compose himself, the No 10 executed another precise drop-goal to close the deficit before Beno Obano, from close range, scored Bath’s third try with Sale’s captain the skipper absent in the sin bin.

Coming back from a substantial margin away from home would be a difficult task anywhere, especially against a Bath team with a numerical advantage and a stacked bench. It was a reflection of Sale’s determination, then, when they set up Jibulu from short yardage just seven minutes after the resumption to dispel any home complacency.

Typically that is the indication for Bath to raise their level, but this time the Sale side were ready. They made their own multiple replacements and, at a five-point game, it required a spectacular tackle from Sam Underhill to stop the powerful carries of Marius Louw. A heavy tackle by Tom Burrow also caused Ted Hill to leave the field prematurely, but where it was decisive, up on the scoreboard, Bath repeatedly succeed these days.