Bath thump Newcastle to seal top spot and home semi

Gallagher Premiership

Bath 55 (17)

Tries: Donoghue, Carr-Smith, Roux, Underhill, Emens 2, Hennessey, Redpath Cons: Donoghue 4, Russell 2 Pens: Donoghue

Newcastle 19 (12)

Tries: Neild, Doherty 2 Cons: Connon 2

Leaders Bath ran in eight tries in a dominant 55-19 win over bottom club Newcastle Falcons to ensure they will finish top of the Premiership and have a home play-off semi-final.

In a scrappy opening littered with penalties, debutant Ciaran Donoghue struck first for the home side before Cameron Neild's effort from the driving maul brought Newcastle within touching distance.

Tom Carr-Smith then went over untouched following Louis Hennessey's break, before Connor Doherty replied with both teams down to 14 men.

Doherty got his second just after the break before tries for Quinn Roux, Sam Underhill, Hennessey, Cam Redpath and a brace from Austin Emens secured Bath's position at the top of the table.

Knowing that a bonus-point win would guarantee top spot in the Premiership with three games left to go, the home team started strongly.

Making his top-flight debut, Donoghue scored a try-of-the-season contender as he burst through the Falcons defence and sidestepped the final defender to dot down over the line for Bath's first.

The expectant local crowd thought the home side had doubled the lead just minutes later when Falcons' hooker Jamie Blamire overthrew a line-out, allowing Redpath to capitalise, only for the centre to be subsequently ruled off-side.

Following repeated penalties, the Falcons forced themselves back into the game, putting points on the board with Neild driving over following a maul.

Bath lost Underhill to the sin bin shortly afterwards for a high tackle, but it was not enough to prevent the home side from extending their lead.

The Falcons repelled Bath through countless phases in their own 22, before Bath drew a penalty, which Donoghue slotted through the posts.

Louis Hennessey then burst through a hole in the Falcons' defence before unselfishly feeding Carr-Smith to add Bath's second try, before the visitors were reduced to 14 following Louis Brown's red card for a high, no-arms tackle on Emens.

The cards kept on coming as Redpath saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on with Doherty exploiting the space in the ensuing phase to stride through the Bath defence, leaving Newcastle only five points down at half-time.

Newcastle then gained a surprise lead just after the restart; Doherty cutting in on the arc following a line-out throw over the top from Blamire to leave the Bath defenders flailing.

But the early riposte seemed to stir Bath into action and with it came a flurry of second-half tries.

With Donoghue dictating things in the midfield, the fly-half's break sent Roux through a gap, the second row barrelling towards the line with Falcons defenders helpless in his wake.

Bath's bonus-point try was soon to follow with Underhill powering his way over after yet another Donoghue break, before Emens came within inches of adding a fifth.

The full-back then topped his all-action performance with two tries in succession.

First came a diving effort in the corner after Bath's replacements had driven into the Falcons' half, with the second a mere stride over the line following Donoghue's charge down the wing.

Josh Bayliss created Bath's seventh try, the back rower drawing the attention of three Falcons' defenders before feeding Hennessey, who sprinted up the touchline before diving flamboyantly over the line.

With Bath again down to 14 following a deliberate knock-on from Bayliss, Redpath added an eighth, which was the signal for the celebrations to begin as Johann van Graan's side finish top of the table in the regular season for the first time since 2003-04.

Bath: Emens, McConnochie, Redpath, Butt, Hennessey; Donoghue, Carr-Smith; Van Wyk, Annett, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.

Replacements: Dunn, Du Toit, Griffin, Bayliss, Pepper, Schreuder, Russell, Tuipolotu.

Yellow card: Underhill, Redpath, Bayliss.

Newcastle: Brown, Hearle, Doherty, Clark, Stevenson; Connon, Stuart; Brocklebank, Blamire, Palframan, Hawkins, De Chaves, Lockwood, Neild, Chick.

Replacements: Fletcher, Rewcastle, McCallum, Usher, Leatherbarrow, Pepper, Spencer, Arnold.

Red card: Brown.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys