Good Evans can't stop Bath

Bath kept themselves on the coat-tails of Toulouse in the battle to top Pool Five with a thrilling 35-31 victory over Glasgow at The Rec.

Having seen the French giants secure a bonus-point success over the Dragons on Saturday, Bath knew they could not afford anything less.

They just about managed to pick up five points despite conceding five tries, three of which were scored by winger Thom Evans.

The hosts did cross four times themselves - Michael Stephenson bagging a brace - to open up a 35-19 lead after an hour. In the end, the sizeable cushion only just proved to be enough.

Unlucky bounce

Indeed, had it not been for the bounce of the ball they may well have lost. Instead Ruaridh Jackson's grubber rolled into touch, bringing to an end a sensational game that had ebbed and flowed throughout.

The young fly-half, admirably deputising for Dan Parks, had been forced into a kick-and-chase trying to score a second interception try in as many minutes.

Defeat was tough on Glasgow, who head home to get ready for the return fixture next weekend having finished with just two losing points for their heroic efforts.

An 11th straight loss on English soil came despite Evans' stunning treble, the former Wasps player going over twice in the first half to give his team a 14-11 half-time advantage.

The first saw him pierce through a fractured defensive line following a break by his brother Max and he followed that up by dummying his way past Butch James on the left wing just after the half hour.

Andy Beattie's scrappy try kept the hosts in contention but having blown a series of chances in the first 40 minutes, they blasted out of the blocks following the break.

Red-hot Bath

Stephenson's first of the afternoon on the right gave them the lead and although it was his error in defence that allowed Evans to score his and Glasgow's third, Bath were now running red-hot in attack.

The former Newcastle winger's second was swiftly followed by sub Shaun Berne finishing off Matt Banahan's barnstorming run down the left wing.

With James knocking over the conversion to bring his personal haul to 15 points, the Guinness Premiership outfit were in cruise control.

Even when Hefin O'Hare accepted fellow replacement Sam Pinder's offload to touch down, it seemed no more than a consolation effort for Glasgow.

However, the otherwise impressive Nick Abendanon put the game back in the balance with an early Xmas present to Jackson, who galloped in under the posts and then quickly drop-goaled the extra two points with time fast running out.

It appeared the number 10 was going to repeat the trick when he picked off a pass near his own line but this time he didn't have the legs to run clear, his hack forward going dead, much to Bath's relief.