Gloucester march six clear

James Simpson-Daniel gave England manger Martin Johnson a timely reminder of his finishing abilities with two tries as Gloucester retained top spot with a 36-27 win over Bath.

Another enthralling West Country derby between the two Guinness Premiership heavyweights saw seven tries, two sin-binnings and some superb attacking rugby during a thrilling 80 minutes.

Simpson-Daniel, capped 10 times by England, touched down twice in the space of four first-half minutes as Gloucester opened up a six-point lead over Sale at the top of the table.

Bath hooker Rob Hawkins bagged a brace of his own for the visitors and Butch James booted over 12 points, however Gloucester were full value for their bonus-point win.

Delicate

Steve Meehan's men came out firing from the start and Hawkins opened the scoring after just three minutes - James cooly slotting over the conversion.

That initiative did not last long though as Gloucester, often slow starters this season, hit back through the boot of Carlos Spencer before notching a sensational three tries in the space of four minutes.

Simpson-Daniel became the architect of Gloucester's revival on 29 minutes after James had struck again, winning the race for the ball as it bounced in the Bath in-goal area after Spencer's delicate grubber kick from near the posts.

The Cherry and Whites back then created a move from the Bath 10-metre line for wing Charlie Sharples to get over in the left corner.

Bath centre Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu then threw a high pass on his own 10 metre line which Simpson-Daniel intercepted and he raced in from 40 metres, with Spencer adding the extras to put Gloucester 20-10 ahead.

That was to be Simpson-Daniel's last involvement in the game as he sustained an injury in the process of scoring, Olly Barkley coming on in his place.

Sin-binned

But Bath continued to fight back, and, after a charge into the home 22 from prop Duncan Bell and wing Matt Banahan, Hawkins took a pass five metres out and managed to claw his way over the line, with James converting.

The action was still not complete in this breathless period. Former Bath star Barkley made it 23-17 to the hosts, but then James kicked a penalty for the visitors when centre Anthony Allen was sin-binned for coming in from the wrong side.

Gloucester went 10 points ahead at 30-20 after a downfield chase between Iain Balshaw and opposite number Banahan.

Banahan got in Balshaw's way and it could easily have been a penalty try but scrum-half Rory Lawson followed up to dive on the loose ball and score, with Barkley converting.

That gave Gloucester their bonus point, yet Bath were back in the game when James quickly tapped a penalty close to the opposition line and put wing Andrew Higgins in from close range, with the Springbok then converting.

In the end, two penalties from Barkley put Gloucester nine points clear and completed the scoring in what was a brilliant spectacle.