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| No Panic From Bates |
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| Jimmy Gopperth breaks for Rob Vickerman's try |
| 7 March 2010, 6:04 pm |
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| Falcons boss Steve Bates is refusing to push the panic button, having seen his side's half-time lead diluted into a losing bonus point at Kingston Park on Sunday. |
Despite leading in-form visitors Bath 10-5 at the interval, the director of rugby’s team had to make do with a 17-13 defeat in the end, having made much of the early running.
“It was a really close game,” said the former England scrum half.
“We enjoyed the better of the first half, and created two or three opportunities which we should have finished off.
“Bath’s triple front row substitution at half time was a significant factor, it injected a lot more pace into their pack and then frustratingly it was our own mistake that handed them the decisive try near the end.
“We missed a couple of kicks at goal which could have been vital, but overall it was a very close and exciting game of rugby which could have gone either way. We’re obviously bitterly disappointed to have missed out on the win, but Bath are a good side and we pushed them all the way.
“We took our try well, but we also had another few chances in that half which we failed to put away. In that sense we were the architects of our own downfall, and we have to nail those chances if we are going to beat quality sides like Bath.”
Asked if his side was now in a relegation dogfight, Bates said: “It’s tight down there, but we can’t do anything about other team’s results.
“All we can do is continue to focus on our own game, have belief in what we’re doing and approach every game in a really positive and confident mindset.
“Until you’re mathematically safe then every side is in danger of relegation, there are a number of sides in that picture but we’ll just continue being positive, trying to win every single game and working hard during training. We’ll just concentrate on ourselves rather than worrying about other teams, and through our efforts out on the field look to win these vital next few games.”
With much of the 7,735 crowd confused by the referee’s apparent early blowing of the full time whistle, Bates explained: “At some point in the second half the stadium clock wasn’t running for about a minute, and Rob Debney the fourth official noticed a discrepancy between his own official time and the stadium clock.
“He relayed that information to the referee, who told the teams that was the case, but when you get to that last period of the game 15 seconds here or there is going to be crucial. In fairness it’s an innocent mistake, the players were told out on the field and we’re certainly not going to make a song and dance about it.”
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