Bath have recorded their first victory of the season with a 14-6 Heineken Cup Pool 3 victory over Biarritz.

Bath, inspired by the return of Mike Catt, pulled off a victory which was remarkable even in their record of European endeavour.

After a miserable run of four straight defeats in the Zurich Premiership no-one gave the side much realistic chance of toppling a Biarritz team who were heading the French championship.

But Bath have such a love affair with the Heineken Cup after winning the competition four seasons ago that several hundred supporters travelled all the way to the southern tip of France more in hope than expectation that their team could pull it off.

A third penalty from Matt Perry edged them into a 9-6 lead after 74 minutes and an injury-time try from left-wing Tom Voyce wrapped up an invaluable away win in Pool 3.

It now establishes them as early favourites to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time in three years.

Catt's return from the calf injury that ruled him out of the Lions tour was again the key to a performance that rid Bath of the demons that have been haunting them in recent weeks.

Confidence flooded back, especially after Perry edged them 6-0 ahead with two penalties inside the first seven minutes.

Former Newcastle wing Stuart Legg pulled back three points with a long-range effort on 17 minutes but he was substituted shortly afterwards and the goal-kicking was handed over to Joe Roff, the man who broke Lions' hearts in Australia.

However Roff was wide with a simple kick just before half-time and it was not until well into the second half before he was finally able to draw the sides level from 30 metres.

Try opportunities were few and far between and both sides turned over possession in a manner which must have frustrated both coaches.

As the game drifted into the last quarter Catt's astute kicking out of hand and some stirring defence, particularly from Mike Tindall, set the game up for a thrilling finale.

The turning point came with the appearance from the replacements bench of former French hooker Jean Michel Gonzales, whose foul on Dan Lyle gave Perry the chance to kick his third penalty.

Bath, capitalising on their dominance of the line-out, maintained the pressure and a strong tackle by Lyle spilled the ball on the Bath side inside the Biarritz 22 and flanker Gavin Thomas delivered a perfect one-handed pass to Voyce who sped in from 15 metres.

Perry was wide with the conversion but, with an eight-point advantage and just two minutes of injury time remaining the hundreds of Bath supporters were already celebrating yet another famous victory on French soil.

Biarritz: Brusque, Legg, Bousses, Isaac, Roff, Peyrelongue, Morlaes, Puleoto, Curnier, Avril, Nouchi, Roumat, Betsen, Milheres, Nauroy.

Not Used: Fitzgerald, Gonzales, Matiu, Chouchan, Mazas, Bidabe, Bernat-Salles.

Pens: Legg, Roff.

Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Tindall, Voyce, Catt, Williams, D. Barnes, Long, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock, G. Thomas, N. Thomas, Lyle.

Not Used: Cooper, Regan, Hopcroft, Thirlby, Barkley, Lloyd, Gabey.

Tries: Voyce.

Pens: Perry 3.

Att: 6,500