BATH'S season lurched towards crisis point as they were deservedly bombed out of the Powergen National Cup with ease by dominant London Irish at the Recreation Ground.

The Exiles celebrated their first cup win at Bath for 21 years 20-12 and heaped more pressure on head coach Jon Callard as Bath's hopes of progressing towards their first domestic cup final since 1996 were buried under an avalanche of mediocrity.

The try count of 3-0 in favour of Brendan Venter's visitors aptly summed up their superiority and their triumph should have been a lot more comfortable than even the scoreline suggests.

Thankfully for the home side, their smallest crowd of the season 5,332 witnessed another dreadful display, although many of them were heading for the exits long before referee Chris White's final whistle ended their nightmare.

It leaves Bath requiring some Heineken Cup heroics to ensure that they don't end another season with the trophy cupboard bare.

But of more concern to Callard and his coaching staff will be to find out what has happened to a talented team that just is not performing.

Nowhere was this more obvious than in the display of a star-studded back division for whom ideas and inspiration have simply evaporated.

Even Mike Catt the man to be normally relied upon to grab a game by the scruff of the neck appeared lost, eventually reduced to a couple of hopeful drop-goal attempts as his side desperately tried to save themselves.

But a damning indictment of Bath's performance was that London Irish never hit top gear and still won in comfort.

The Exiles dominated territory and possession in the first half yet amazingly took half an hour to register a score.

Bath, who had lost Mark Regan to a back injury after 20 minutes, had already been warned about the incisive running of full-back Michael Horak when he nearly sent wing Nmandi Ezulike over off a drive up the narrow side.

But when another charge from relentless prop Neal Hatley made ground midway inside Bath's half, man-of-the-match Horak sliced through the defensive line and skipped past the tackles of both Kevin Maggs and Matt Perry to touch down.

The normally reliable Barry Everitt saw his conversion attempt hit a post, to go with an earlier missed penalty and within seven minutes Bath had reduced the deficit as Perry's penalty from close range punished an Irish offside.

Everitt made amends from 40 metres as injury time approached, but again Perry kept Bath in touch with an immediate reply after Ezulike's high tackle on Mike Tindall.

Irish continued to play the positive rugby after the break, but 12 minutes in Bath were unbelievably ahead as Steve Borthwick and Gavin Thomas drove and Catt stepped into the pocket to slot a neatly-taken drop-goal.

That could have sparked a home revival. Instead, the Exiles snaffled posssession each time Bath got near the try line.

Then on 62 minutes, Catt's suicidal long pass played Iain Balshaw into trouble in centre field. The unlikely figure of wing Paul Sackey stole possession and, as No 8 Declan Danaher charged up the wing, he neatly flipped the ball inside to centre Justin Bishop, who scampered over.

Everitt booted the extra two points, but again Perry reduced arrears with his third penalty with 15 minutes remaining before Everitt again missed from long range.

Bath enjoyed their best spell after that but, as the Exiles' defence held firm, panic set in and Catt missed a simple drop-goal attempt, followed by an audacious effort from halfway with a minute to go.

And as spectators headed home, Irish kicked to the corner, caught and drove and replacement prop Mike Worsley barged over from close range.

Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Tindall, Danielli, Catt (capt), Williams, Barnes, Regan (Long 19), Mallett (Emms 53), Borthwick, Grewcock, G Thomas (N Thomas 72), Scaysbrook, Gabey (Beattie 56). Subs: Chrystie, Barkley, Thirlby.

London Irish: Horak, Ezulike, Bishop, Appleford, Sackey, Everitt, Edwards, Hatley (Worsley 48), Kirke (Drotske 46), Hardwick (Halford 46, Hardwick 51), Strudwick (capt), Williams (Fahrensohn 40), Bates, Dawson (Delaney 24), Danaher. Subs: Martens, Thrower.

Referee: Chris White (RFU)

Attendance: 5,332.