Bath’s attacking potency proved too much for a spirited Light Blues side who succumbed 19-41 in a scrappy, high-scoring clash. Despite being persistently outmuscled by an irrepressible Cambridge forward pack, Bath maintained the upper hand throughout courtesy of their highly skilful backs, who clinically exploited a fragile Cambridge defensive line.

After a fairly tight opening 40 minutes, a Bath scoring explosion early in the second half vanquished any remaining Cambridge victory hopes, with Abbie Lamb and Rebecca Lacy both scoring a brace of tries. Nevertheless, the afternoon was packed with positive signs for the light blues; after a 38-0 trouncing in the reverse fixture, they dominated possession, bullied Bath at the scrum, and doubled their overall try tally for the season.

Having conceded 246 points in their first five matches of the season, Cambridge looked set for another tough outing when they fell behind in just the second minute. In a calamitous passage of play for the Light Blues, Bath secured a turnover from a successful counter-ruck, enabling their number 72 to breach a scattered defensive line and carry the ball almost unobstructed from deep inside her own half to the try line.

The ensuing period saw a slew of errors, which left both sides unable to capitalise on some attractive offensive moves. A seemingly unstoppable 22nd-minute run from Bath’s number 8 looked certain to extend the visitors’ advantage, but Izzi Millar’s tackling heroics kept the scoreline static. While Bath’s strengths lay in swift passing moves and their backs’ creative flair, Cambridge sought to play long phases, attempting to batter a way through the visitor’s resistance.

Rapid build-up play eventually provided the key to the tryline in the 34th minute – after Bath shipped the ball with pace out to the left flank, Rebecca Lacy was able to adeptly weave her way onto to the scoresheet.

Sensing that Bath were starting to brew some serious momentum, the vocal bands of Light Blue support scattered around Grange Road entered full voice. The partisan energy emanating from the stands seemed to refuel the home side, who struck back just two minutes later via an explosive burst through the line from Ali-Mae Brown, who powered past numerous defenders to make it 7-14.

Come the second half, it appeared a highly physical initial 40 minutes had taken its toll on a bruised Cambridge side; bad omens abounded from the moment Cambridge fumbled the ball straight from kick-off. Following the turnover, two hefty carries from Bath’s forwards left a back peddling Cambridge helpless to Rebecca Lacy’s driving run to the try line for her second score of the afternoon.

Any tension left in the contest quickly dissipated there on, Bath’s backs running amok and brutally exposing the defensive frailties that have plagued Cambridge this season. Yet another Bath try ensued in the 47th minute, swelling their advantage to 26-7 – Abbie Lamb ripping past a series of Cambridge missed tackles in a lightning run from inside her own half.

Just a couple minutes later, in a near carbon copy of her previous try, Abbie Lamb ran almost the entire length of the pitch unscathed, her pace and power breaching the home side’s defences with total ease. Bath looked to be running riot – three tries in a mere seven minutes handing them a mammoth lead over a seemingly capitulating Cambridge.

Despite the chasm that had emerged on the scoresheet, the Light Blues refused to subside, regaining confidence courtesy of their indefatigable forwards. Number 8 Ali-Mae Brown came to the fore once more, her crafty pick and go off the back of a momentous drive from a scrum broke Bath open, enabling Poppy Latimer to drive her way over the line for a 52nd-minute try.

Unfortunately for the hosts, the procession of second-half tries wasn’t to end there, and within 4 minutes Bath reconsolidated their stranglehold over proceedings. It seemed to be Groundhog Day when Abbie Lamb zipped through the heart of the Cambridge defence, but her charge was held up just metres from the try line. Quick hands from the Bath backs quickly shipped the ball out to the right flank, where a waiting winger notched a 12-36 lead for the visitors.

An exhilarating second half continued to seesaw wildly, with Cambridge striking back in the 67th minute with a wonderfully crafted try – building the phases, using powerful short runs to wear down a flagging Bath resolve, before Bethan Jones provided the final surge over the line. Subsequently, both teams became stuck in attacking gridlock, neither side able to fashion a further opening until the match’s dying seconds, when a fluid Bath passing move culminated in their 7th try of the match. Following a second half that proved to be thrilling and chaotic in equal measure, the final score stood at 19-41; Cambridge condemned to their sixth defeat from six matches in BUCS Premier South.

While Cambridge’s evident defensive vulnerability remains a cause for concern, Wednesday’s compelling performance from the Light Blues’ forward pack offers a ray of hope for the remainder of the season.