Rugby Union: Guscott eases back in

West Hartlepool. .18

Bath. . . . . . . 20

IT WAS going to take a gem of some brilliance or the shock of the season to outshine Jeremy Guscott's return to competitive rugby. The massed bands of the media had come with eyes only for the most exciting talent in British rugby but finished by applauding the valour and effrontery of West Hartlepool.

No question that they were the better side and no doubt that they should have won. They were given three golden chances in the final palpitating eight minutes but Tim Stimpson and John Stabler twice missed with penalty kicks.

Midway through the first half, West Hartlepool scored a try of imperishable quality, which began when Ben Clarke, whose hands have now become a matter for national concern, lost control of the ball a yard from the opposition line. By the time Alan Brown, the West Hartlepool flanker, had picked it up it was behind the line and inviting the safe option of a 22 drop-out.

But Brown set off with rare boldness and with Elwine, Hodder and Whittaker all handling in sweet unison, Mick Watson, the No 8, was left with a 40-yard dash to the line and Tony Swift closing fast. But Watson made it with something to spare, which speaks volumes for his pace and determination.

As for Guscott, he played himself in gingerly and sensibly confining himself to a few well- judged tackles and some deftly placed passes. It is a nature of the position that centre threequarters must operate in the very jaws of the opposition defence and for Guscott, who knew that there would be no such thing as a free or even an easy passage yesterday, this was neither the time nor the place for pyrotechnics.

'I was pleased to get through the game without any serious problems,' Guscott said. 'I am a bit stiff and sore but that is only to be expected after such a long lay-off. I made a few mistakes, but I'm reasonably happy with my game and delighted to be back, although it's much too soon to be thinking about selection for England.'

If the touch has not left Guscott it has certainly deserted Bath. Their two tries both scored by their skipper John Hall were grindingly prosaic efforts hewn out of the rockface by the pack, a glaring contrast to the dazzling audacity of West Hartlepool who, in addition to Watson's unforgettable score, had the confidence and mobility to widen their horizons.

Dave Cooke, whose failure to release the ball to Kevin Whittaker had cost a certain try in the first half, made amends in the second with a try in the corner after Paul Hodder had cleverly straightened the line.

Hodder played an immense game and on the day when it was Guscott who was the centre of attention, it was his marker who was the centre of attraction. His try from Mike Shelley's pass brought West Hartlepool back to within two points after Callard had kicked a

second-half penalty and Mike Catt had dropped a goal.

Stimpson could be forgiven for missing the conversion from such a testing angle but few in the ground were so charitable when he missed from in front of the posts, admittedly from 35 yards out. That was eight minutes from the end. Just four minutes later, there was sepulchral silence again as Stabler this time lined up for another tilt at everlasting glory. He, too, missed.

And then in injury time came the final moment and with it West Hartlepool prayed, Stabler the man. But it was not to be and Bath had once again survived.

West: T Stimpson; K Whittaker, A Elwine, P Hodder (capt), D Cooke; J Stabler, S Cooke; D Rusby, S Mitchell, M Shelley, J Dixon, K Westgarth, D Mitchell, A Brown, M Watson.

Bath: J Callard; T Swift, P de Glanville, J Guscott, A Adebayo; M Catt, S Johnson; D Hilton, G Dawe, C Clark, N Redman, A Reed, S Ojomoh, J Hall (capt), B Clarke.

Referee: D Leslie (Manchester).