Ashton effect sends Bath to the semis (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Ashton effect sends Bath to the semis

Bath offered a glimpse of things to come under new coach Brian Ashton as they booked their place in the Powergen Cup semi-finals.

Ashton does not officially take up his post until January 1 but he has had regular contact with acting boss Michael Foley.

And Ashton, renowned as arguably the country's most inventive backs coach, looks to have already made his mark.

Bath, who have not scored a try at home in the Guinness Premiership this season, conjured up two inside 30 minutes to underpin a 21-12 victory over west country rivals Gloucester and guarantee a March 4 trip to the Millennium Stadium.

Centre Olly Barkley and wing Joe Maddock were the beneficiaries of Bath's vastly-improved creativity, while Barkley also added two penalties and a conversion before going off at half-time after taking a blow to his hip.

"The backs played well all game," said Foley. "Olly provides a lot of confidence in the team, and I thought the backs functioned well as a unit. Overall, we took a big step forward."

It was a depressingly familiar tale for Gloucester, whose second defeat in seven weeks on Bath soil closed off a potential avenue into next season's Heineken Cup.

Leicester joined Bath in the semi-finals with a 29-16 victory over Northampton, but it was not plain sailing for a Tigers side which trailed by 11 points early on.

Leon Lloyd (two), Ben Kay and Shane Jennings scored Leicester's tries, while Northampton replied through touchdowns from Mark Robinson and John Rudd, although Saints' hopes Newport Gwent Dragons and Worcester, meanwhile, played out a meaningless encounter at Rodney Parade in terms of the semi-final shakedown, with the Craig Warlow-inspired Dragons winning 33-10.

Fly-half Warlow contributed 18 points, but Dragons wing Gareth Wyatt dislocated his elbow and could now miss the Dragons' remaining four Heineken Cup games against Munster (home and away), Sale Sharks and Castres.

Yesterday, Wasps joined the rest in the semi-finals with a thumping 42-8 win over a below-strength Saracens.

London Irish ended Cardiff's hopes of reaching the final, with a 27-23 win in Reading.

Gavin Henson's return to action was again put on hold as he failed a late fitness test ahead of the Ospreys' Powergen Cup 43-28 victory at Bristol.

The Wales international has not played since the second Lions Test in New Zealand in July but has been pencilled in for the Ospreys' Heineken Cup tie at Leicester next Sunday.

Wasps will meet Leicester in one semi-final, with Bath taking on Llanelli Scarlets in the other.

Both games will be played back-to-back on March 4 at the Millennium Stadium. The semi-finals will be at 2.30pm and 5.15pm, although the order has yet to be decided.