Bath overcome Exeter Chiefs in wet-weather victory

Adam Kyriacou
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Bath claimed their first win of the Premiership campaign after they battled past last season’s losing finalists, Exeter Chiefs, 13-10 at the Rec on Friday.

Exeter, looking for a ninth successive win over their rivals in all competitions, led 10-3 heading into the final minutes of the first half when Bath scored a converted try through Tom Dunn on their first visit to the Chiefs’ 22.

Buoyed by that score, the hosts came out after the break a transformed team and although they only managed to add three points from the boot of Rhys Priestland, it proved enough to earn Bath the victory.

It was not the best of starts for Exeter at the Rec as they lost wing Tom O’Flaherty to a head injury assessment in the first minute and Bath took the lead soon after through a 40-metre Priestland penalty.

However, that prompted a typically robust response from the visiting forwards, who made light of the driving rain in their faces as they monopolised possession.

Happy to turn down very kickable penalties, the Chiefs looked to Dave Ewers as a particularly willing and effective ball carrier and Bath racked up the tackles.

For all the efforts of Bath skipper Charlie Ewels and his defenders, though, there was eventually no stopping Exeter lock Jonny Hill, who forced his way over at the posts in the 14th minute for a try that Joe Simmonds converted.

An overthrown line-out cost Bath a promising attacking position and Priestland hooked a hopeful penalty attempt from wide out on the 10-metre line as the hosts looked to rally. Then Priestland’s half-back partner Will Chudley left the field for a head injury assessment, never to return.

Exeter seemed certain to score when presented with an attacking line-out in the corner. Bath defended the catch-and-drive, not once but twice, until Mike Williams was penalised for a neck tackle and Simmonds settled for the three points to put the visitors 10-3 ahead.

It had been very one-sided until Bath duo Semesa Rokoduguni and Tom Ellis ground down the right as half-time loomed. Exeter infringed and Zach Mercer tapped and went from a penalty before Dunn was finally driven over. Priestland added the conversion to make it 10-10 at the interval.

The weather eased during the break and Stuart Hogg began to show his paces on his Exeter debut, but it was Bath’s turn to call the shots, making ground around the fringes and even getting the ball to the wings.

Now it was Exeter’s turn to be pressured into mistakes and Priestland put Bath back in front with a 56th-minute penalty.

Former Wales wing Alex Cuthbert had the hundreds of travelling Exeter supporters on their feet with a thrilling 80-metre dash out of defence after fielding a high kick. His weaving run was only stopped at the corner flag by the tireless Mercer.

Bath almost fluffed the line-out but were gifted a penalty to clear their lines and there was an even bigger cheer when they drove the Exeter scrum off their own ball with five minutes to play.

There was still time for replacement Bath scrum-half Chris Cook to snipe through a line-out and Josh Bayliss to charge on deep into the Exeter half. Bath piled on the pressure and although they could not breach the line, the clock was their friend.

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