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Five penalty goals from fly-half Pierre Vermis have given Montauban a valuable three-point lead in their two-leg Challenge Cup series against Bath.
Vermis kicked 17 points in his side's 27-24 victory at the Stade Sapiac, cancelling out Olly Barkley's four penalty goals and one conversion.
The two sides were locked at 18-18 at halftime, with Vermis slotting the crucial fifth penalty goal in the 81st minute to secure the victory.
Bath opened the scoring in the third minute through winger Simon Danielli, and two Barkley penalty goals took the visitors to an 11-3 lead before Montauban captain Sergei Sergueev crashed over for a try.
Bath centre Mike Tindall replied, but a last-minute try to Sergueev's Russian compatriot Viatcheslav Gratchev levelled the scores at the break.
Vermis and Barkley swapped penalties before the Frenchman's last-minute winner.
Montauban: Tries - S Sergueev, V Gratchev; Con - H-P Vermis; Pens - H-P Vermis 5.
Bath: Tries - S Danielli, M Tindall;Con - O Barkley, Pens - O Barkley 4. Halftime: 18-18.
Montauban: P Bondouy; B Beyret, P-H Vermis, J Sieurac, S Durand; P Gordo, C Garcia; C Vancheri, A Gaubert, M Ben Bouhout, G Jeannard, S Sergueev, A Colome, V Gratchev, Y Misse
Replacements: P Lacombre, P Martinez, F Marechal, F Soldan, S Fauque, B Albert, P Broncan
Bath Rugby: I Balshaw; S Danielli, K Maggs, M Tindall, M Perry; O Barkley, G Cooper; D Barnes, A Long, A Galasso, S Borthwick, D Grewcock (capt), A Beattie, A Vander, N Thomas
Replacements: A Williams, J Humphreys, J Mallett, C Malone, G Thomas, J Scaysbrook, D Lyle
Referee: Donal Courtney (Ireland)
Results since Round 2
Montauban: 21/12 Lost Bourgoin 6-19(a).
Bath Rugby: 21/12 Beat London Wasps 20-17(a-Powergen Cup Rd 6); 28/12 Beat NEC Harlequins 23-9 (h-Zurich Prem). 04/01 Lost Wasp 20-7 (a) Zurich Prem)
