Bath 16 Exeter Chiefs 43: Match report

Exeter Chiefs produced a clinical second half display to sink rivals Bath in their final pre-season run-out ahead of the new Aviva Premiership season.

Trailing 16-14 at the turn, Rob Baxter’s side scored 29 unanswered points to ensure they lifted the inaugural Westcountry Challenge Cup with an unblemished record.

Converted first half tries from Luke Cowan-Dickie and the returning Dave Ewers were cancelled out by three Tom Homer penalties and his conversion of Matt Banahan’s try on the stroke of half time.

However, the second half belonged solely to the visitors, whose ruthless attacking edge, coupled with a miserly defensive nous saw them rewarded with tries for Damian Welch, Thomas Waldrom, James Short and Byron McGuigan.

Skipper Gareth Steenson and replacement Will Hooley shared the remainder of the points for the Chiefs, who will now have to switch their attentions to next week’s seasonal opener, ironically which is against Bath at the Recreation Ground once more.

With both sides parading powerful line-ups for this final pre-season encounter, it was Bath full-back Homer who broke the game’s deadlock on three minutes, slotting a penalty after the Chiefs had been penalised for dropping a scrum.

The home lead, though, proved shortlived as the Devonians gained the lead with their first meaningful foray into enemy territory.

Steenson’s clever show-and-go saw him release Will Chudley; Ewers continued the drive forward before England international Cowan-Dickie squirmed over from close range for the converted try.

Bath responded brightly with centre Max Clark causing problems in the Chiefs rearguard with an electric break through the middle; before Homer slotted his second successful penalty after the visitors were again adjudged to have dropped a scrum.

The former London Irish back then tripled his tally for the game, slotting another long-range effort on 34 minutes after Baxter’s men were deemed not to have released at the tackle.

Undeterred, the Chiefs marched down field at the other end and snatched back the lead when Sam Hill’s rampaging run set the platform for Chudley to snipe through and feed Ewers, who did the rest to make it 14-9. But as half-time approached,

Bath stunned their rivals when Kyle Eastmond broke down the blindside, fed Banahan who, with little option but to chip in behind, then won the preceding sprint race to the line. Homer added the extras to give the hosts a slender lead.

Read the rest of the report here: http://exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/bath-16-chiefs-43/#sthash.eUY6IKlz.dpuf