Davies refuses to discuss Dawidiuk red card (From Stroud News and Journal)

Gloucester crash to derby day defeat at Bath

4:24pm Saturday 2nd March 2013 in Sport By SNJ Sport

GLOUCESTER boss Nigel Davies refused to be drawn on the red card of Darren Dawidiuk and instead singled out his side's inability to compete at the set piece after they crashed to an Aviva Premiership derby-day loss at Bath.

A near faultless kicking display from Tom Heathcote, who finished with 16 points, coupled with a penalty try and scores from Kyle Eastmond and Tom Biggs were enough to see off a spirited Gloucester.

Despite playing the final 30 minutes with 14 men after the red card for hooker Dawidiuk, the Cherry and Whites were always in the game after two tries from Jonny May and a score from Henry Trinder. Freddie Burns, back from injury, experienced a day to forget with the boot and was eventually withdrawn with just under half an hour still to play.

Davies said: "Our set-piece didn't function very well at all, I thought our accuracy really let us down and that's disappointing and because of that we couldn't take control of the game.

"We still had our moments though; I thought we harshly had a try disallowed but that's what happens.

"The important thing though is to look at ourselves and understand what we could have done differently.

"I didn't think it was tip tackle but the referee has to make those calls and they didn't go for us today and control what we can control - it was the set-piece that cost us.

"To go down to 14 men with 30 minutes still to go and to earn that bonus point was very pleasing - most teams wouldn't do that but we did.

"The team worked hard for each other and because of that we've always got a chance. I'm pleased with this group of boys."

Meanwhile, Bath  boss Gary Gold is refusing to accept his side is back in the Aviva Premiership title race despite seeing off neighbours Gloucester to move back into top-four contention.

Gold said: "I don't think we're back in the title race after just one performance but I do think we've now given ourselves a chance.

"I think we'll keep our feet on the ground - we're not back in the title race just yet. "Slowly but surely I think we're getting to where we want to be. I think we're making better decisions now about whether to kick or run but I also still think we're making awful decisions.

"There were times when we should have got the ball of the park and we didn't and there were times when we tried to run the ball when we shouldn't but then again I thought there were times we should have hung on to the ball when we didn't.

"We need to keep working on that but I think we're going in the right direction.

"Tom Heathcote has been fantastic for us. He has been putting us under pressure when Stephen Donald has been playing.

"Stephen has got injured and I think he has taken his opportunity wonderfully well - I think his first missed kick tonight was the first time that had happened in 18 or 19 attempts."

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