RUGBY: Booth positive despite derby defeat (From Wiltshire Times)

RUGBY: Booth positive despite derby defeat

6:18pm Saturday 6th October 2012 in Sport

BATH coach Toby Booth admitted his side should have pushed home their early advantage as they went fown to defeat at Kingsholm.

Gloucester turned around a 10-0 deficit, a second-half try from full-back Rob Cook underpinnig their revival to claim a 16-10 win that made it five league games unbeaten and left Bath still without a victory at Kingsholm since 2006.

England fly-half contender Freddie Burns chipped in with a drop-goal, two penalties and conversion of Cook's touchdown, and Bath could only reflect on what might have been.

Bath made a powerful start after fly-half Stephen Donald converted his own first-minute try and then kicked a penalty, and they will wonder how they let things slip, especially given their early set-piece control when Wales prop Paul James dominated the scrums.

Head coach Gary Gold appeared to have an issue with the breakdown and on two separate occasions he could be seen airing his displeasure at officials, but he did not attend the post-match press conference to expand further.

Booth said: "We have got to be good enough to take the referee out of the equation and look after ourselves.

"We deserved to be a little further in front than 10-0, but you need to convert when you are in the ascendancy.

"We had opportunities to convert, and in tight games - especially away from home - you have to take what is on offer, but unfortunately we didn't do that.

"There is plenty to be positive about, though.

"The Premiership season is a long road, and there were plenty of positives today, but make no bones about it we are bitterly disappointed with the result."

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