By Harry Tovey and Ieuan Miles
USW 1sts began their BUCS campaign with a hard-fought draw against Bath 3rd.
The home side will be disappointed not to have scored a try – while the visitors crossed twice – but were good value overall for a share of the spoils.
After early exchanges from both teams, handling errors became a problem due to rain.
And poor discipline from Bath’s forwards meant referee Tom Prew awarded numerous penalties to USW.
Fly-half Llewelyn Brown was the beneficiary, some excellent ball-striking enabling him to put his side 9-0 ahead via his boot by half-time.
While Brown’s accuracy was valuable, so too was USW’s solid defence on their own try line in the last five minutes of the half, which sent Bath in at the break try-less.
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But the away side made up for that early in the second half, scoring two touchdowns within the first 10 minutes.
Both came from well-worked lineout mauls and both were finished by hooker Ollie Critchley.
The Baths pack grew into the game in the second half, dominating the scrum and lineout vice-captain Harry Jeavons, stealing possession on the home side’s throw on a number of occasions.
USW lost captain Lloyd Morris in the 57th minute after he was knocked out in a collision, but recovered to force a draw when, after winning a penalty at a scrum, Brown claimed his fourth successful kick.