Premiership: Bath 29-13 Worcester Warriors

Taulupe Faletau helped earn Bath only their second home win of the campaign

Bath had to come from behind to earn a bonus-point win over bottom club Worcester as local boy Freddie Burns' full debut was ruined by a red card.

In a game further marred by the exit of home centre Ben Tapuai on a stretcher, Warriors briefly led 8-7 after winger Dean Hammond's first-half try.

But Aled Brew and Tapuai both scored to stretch Bath clear at the break.

Jamie Shillcock crossed for Warriors but Brew's second sealed victory before Burns was sent off for a tip tackle.

Bath's fourth Premiership win of the season, and only their second at home, came despite having to play the last 17 minutes with 14 men following returning hometown product Burns' costly tip tackle on Warriors winger Josh Adams.

But home concerns at the end were initially more for Australian centre Tapuai, who received 13 minutes' treatment before departing the fray with a head injury.

Burns landed three of his four conversion attempts, while Josh Lewis came off the bench to kick his first points for Bath when he rounded of the scoring with a penalty.

After England centre Jonathan Joseph's early converted try, Shillcock's penalty and a try from Hammond, who came in off his wing and ran 35 metres to score, put Warriors ahead. But two tries in 10 minutes just before the break by Brew and Tapuai closed the door.

Young stand-off Shillcock went over from close range on the right after good work from a line-out, but he again missed the conversion, landing only one out of his four goal attempts.

This was winless Worcester's first game since director of rugby Gary Gold, formerly the boss at Bath, announced that he is to leave at the end of the season.

They remain rooted to the foot of the table with just one point, from their first six matches, after failing to end their winless record at The Rec.

Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder:

"It's definitely a red card. No excuses or complaints from us. As soon as a player's legs get above the parallel, it's in the hands of the referee. The red card was deserved.

"The try just before half-time gave us something of a buffer but it didn't reflect who had the momentum. Worcester really had us under pressure.

"But I couldn't be prouder of the team in the last 15 minutes. I could just see how far we had come in two weeks. We didn't throw it away. We kept our composure to take the bonus point win."

"Ben Tapuai is talking. He's coherent, which is a really good sign. He got his head on the wrong side in a tackle and got a knee to the head. The good news is that he seems to be OK."

Warriors coach Carl Hogg told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"Clearly we'd like more points on the board and we'd like to win games. But we just need to maintain the endeavour, which is through the roof.

"We were very much in it. We got lots of opportunities inside their 22. We just need to be more patient and clinical.

"We've had Wasps, Exeter and Saracens in our opening three home games at Sixways. That's not an excuse. Just reality. We'll use Europe next week to freshen things up with a bit more width. Then, hopefully, we'll come back to the Premiership flying.

(On Freddie Burns' red card) "It's the letter of the law. Once it went to the TMO, there was only ever going to be one outcome."

Bath: Watson; Rokoduguni, Joseph, Tapuai, Brew; Burns, Cook; Obano, Walker, Perenise, Ewels (capt), Stooke, Mercer, Underhill, Faletau.

Replacements: Dunn, Auterac, Thomas, Phillips, Douglas, Fotuali'i, Lewis, Clark.

Sent off: Burns (63).

Worcester Warriors: Pennell; Adams, Willison, Te'o, Hammond; Shillcock, Arr; Bower, Singleton, Alo, O'Callaghan (capt), Spencer, Denton, Lewis, Van Velze.

Replacements: Taufete'e, Waller, Milasinovich, Scotland-Williamson, Faosiliva, Stringer, Lance, Olivier.

Referee: Luke Pearce