Dean Ryan hailed his table-topping Gloucester side – and their beaten derby opponents Bath – after the clubs served up one of the best matches in Guinness Premiership history, writes Steve Cotton.

Gloucester won Saturday's Kingsholm derby 36-27, outscoring Bath by four tries to three to move nine points ahead of their West Country rivals, who have two games in hand.

And with both sides missing a host of frontline players, Gloucester head coach Ryan paid tribute to those who served up a thriller.

"I thought it was an outstanding game – and credit to everyone who took part in it. Of the games I've seen between Bath and Gloucester, that was right up there," said Ryan.

"There's a Six Nations going on – and that game went on underneath it. That's a tremendous credit to both clubs. And I think both clubs showed they are where they deserve to be – at the top end of the league.

"There were quick minds out there – from Bath as well as us – and a lot of the things that happened came from sharp thinking.

"When people think quickly, they find opportunities – and I thought everyone out there was on that level."

The clubs produced a cracker on the final day of the regular season last year, with Gloucester winning a ferocious contest 8-6.

And the free-scoring nature of Saturday's thriller did not come at the expense of intensity, with both sets of players displaying an incredible level of physicality.

"That was as big as the game here last year, it just had more points," said Ryan. "For physicality, enterprise and ambition, I thought it had everything."

Ryan was particularly pleased with the way his side stayed in touch with Bath, who are renowned for their tempo at the start of matches, after falling 7-0 down inside the first six minutes.

"I thought my guys worked tremendously hard to stay in the game," he said. "It's that finger in the dam thing – if you take your finger out against Bath, it will come flooding through.

"That's as well as we've played for a while and I thought Carlos Spencer really pulled the strings."

Gloucester will be without flanker Apo Satala for Saturday's trip to Leicester as he has been called up to the Fiji squad for the World Cup Sevens in Dubai.