\n<\/p>\n
Bath came from 21 points down to beat Prem leaders Northampton and reach the semi-finals of the Champions Cup in a breathtaking clash at the Rec.<\/b><\/p>\n
Northampton were in sensational attacking form from the off, scoring five tries in the opening half hour as the top two sides in England delivered an amazing first 40 minutes.<\/p>\n
But Bath were not knocked out and scored four of their own before half-time as the sides shared 61 points before the break.<\/p>\n
The hosts’ strength in depth from the bench proved the difference in the second period as Northampton could only manage two penalties.<\/p>\n
And a late yellow card under heavy pressure for Saints talisman Henry Pollock proved decisive as replacement Ted Hill drove over to give Bath their first lead with five minutes left.<\/p>\n
They held on to seal a famous win and set up a huge match against either Bordeaux Begles or Toulouse in the last four.<\/p>\n
Exhilarating, high octane, entertaining – this was the modern brand of rugby which made the Six Nations so captivating<\/a> in an 80-minute nutshell.<\/p>\n Whether Bath can beat the French giants playing such rugby remains to be seen but the English duo served up a first 40 minutes in particular which will live long in the memory.<\/p>\n Pollock was involved – as he so often is – right from the start, driving over to give Saints the lead after a very early yellow card for Bath number eight Miles Reid.<\/p>\n Fraser Dingwall capitalised on a superb Saints attack to score the second try within six minutes before Tom Dunn barrelled over to reduce the deficit just moments later.<\/p>\n Northampton looked like scoring in every attack and Tom Lockett and Josh Kemeny stunned the home crowd with quick tries to put last year’s beaten finalists<\/a> 28-7 up.<\/p>\n Finn Russell kicked through and dived on the ball to score for Bath, but when wing Ollie Sleightholme marked his 100th Northampton appearance with a fifth try in the 29th minute it looked like Saints would be reaching a third straight semi-final.<\/p>\n The pace of Henry Arundell and the power of Francois van Wyk brought two quick Bath tries before the half-time whistle though and the momentum had swung the way of the hosts.<\/p>\n Kepu Tuipulotu mauled over to make it a five-point game and while Fin Smith’s boot kept the visitors just about ahead, a wave of pressure made a Bath score feel inevitable.<\/p>\n Pollock ignored the cries of referee Andrew Brace to release a tackle and paid the price with another yellow card, and moments later Hill drove over to level the scores.<\/p>\n Russell had the final word with his boot as the home crowd celebrated a sumptuous comeback and a first appearance in the last four in 20 long years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n