MATCH REPORT: Harlequins 21-20 Bath Rugby

Bath Rugby went down a narrow, hard-fought loss against Harlequins on Sunday as they were on the wrong end of a 21-20 scoreline at the Stoop.

Hosts Harlequins started the brighter of the two - going over the try line within the first three minutes with Tim Visser getting the first five points of the match.

Tom Homer, Bath's kicker due to George Ford being on international duty, notched the first points on the board for the Blue, Black and White with his penalty that went through the posts for 5-3.

Tim Swiel nullified those three points with a penalty of his own in the 28th minute and got another one six minutes later to make it 11-3.

Kane Palma-Newport got Bath's opening try of the contest four minutes before half-time and Homer knocked over the conversion to get the visitors back into the game at 11-10.

Homer gave Bath the lead for the first time five minutes into the second half courtesy of another penalty but Harlequins restored their advantage with a try on the hour by Karl Dickson that Swiel converted.

The pendulum swung back Bath's way again in the 67th minute thanks to Nathan Catt's try which Homer converted again. 18-20.

Unfortunately for Bath, though, there was still time for a late Harlequins penalty goal by Swiels that made the score 21-20, which is how the match ended.