Twickenham fall-guy Chris Malone last night insisted that Bath must "get back on the bike" after enhancing their growing reputation as cup final chokers.

And the Australian fly-half, who missed two vital penalties and threw out a reckless interception pass that proved arguably the defining moment behind Bath's Powergen Cup demise, has targeted a Twickenham return on May 14.

A place in the Zurich Premiership final would give Malone and company a chance to make amends for their latest big occasion no-show.

Defeats against Wasps in the 2003 European Challenge Cup final and last season's Premiership title showdown, gave Leeds every incentive to follow suit and capitalise on worrying Bath frailties under pressure.

Despite being separated by eight league places and 18 points, Bath woefully failed to make that Premiership superiority count as Leeds carved out a famous 20-12 victory.

Man-of-the-match, Scottish international Gordon Ross, kicked two penalties and booted conversions of first-half tries by centre Chris Bell and wing Andre Snyman the South African claimed a 70-metre interception effort to win it.

It was a first defeat for Bath in an English knockout final, following 10 victories from 10 attempts between 1984 and 1996.

But Malone insists the one-time cup kings will be back, although many of their 30,000 Twickenham travelling fans must have grave reservations.

"The great thing about us is that we are a very young squad, and hopefully, we've got more finals ahead of us," he said.

"It's three finals in three years now that we haven't converted. People say you have got to lose one to win one, but losing three to try and win one, is a bit tough.

"We have got two massive league games in front of us now (against London Irish and Leeds), and we want to put ourselves in a position whereby we can go back to Twickenham in four weeks' time for the Premiership final.

"The one thing about finals is you can't get them back, you can't redeem yourself for next week. But our focus will change, in that we will go back to the Premiership and make sure we get in the top three and return to a final," he added.

"We know that we have got the game to do it, and our game has come a long way in the last couple of years.

"It's hard for us to take another loss, but we have just got to get back on the bike."

Malone insisted: "It was just a game of the little things that we didn't get right.

"If those two penalties of mine had gone over in the second-half, then it's a different game, trailing 20-18 with the pressure on Leeds trying to defend a lead.

"The 11-point deficit at half-time didn't bother us, it wasn't a problem for us. We've showed time and time again that we can come back from a deficit like that, and we created all the second-half pressure we just couldn't convert it."

The loss of influential England lock Steve Borthwick before kick-off he now looks set for surgery on a damaged shoulder dealt Bath a severe blow. They lacked composure or direction in his absence.

And their misery did not end either, with news that prospective summer signing Michael Stephenson had broken his leg in two places during Newcastle's Premiership defeat against Northampton 24 hours earlier.