Tepid Bath rely on Banahan

Carraro: scored Bath's second try from Banahan's pass

Bath got the better of West Country rivals Exeter 26-18 at the Rec to boost their hopes of qualifying for next season's Heineken Cup.

Matt Banahan was the star as he scored the opening try for the hosts and also laid on another, although the Chiefs pushed their neighbours all the way.

Full-back Luke Arscott crossed in the first half to help his team lead 8-6 with 35 minutes gone in the Aviva Premiership clash.

However, the match turned on Banahan's muscular try on the stroke of half-time and the England international then provided a superb flick pass for centre Matt Carraro to score immediately after the break.

In danger

For much of the first half Bath had looked in danger of wasting one of their two games in hand on London Irish and Harlequins, the two teams above them.

Gareth Steenson opened the scoring for Exeter in the sixth minute after Butch James fluffed a 22 drop-out and the home scrum disintegrated.

It then needed a try-saving tackle from Carraro to deny Jason Shoemark from extending the visitors' advantage, though there was nothing any home player could do to stop Arscott scoring after 18 minutes.

The full-back spun out of a tackle on his own 10 metre line and after chipping over the head of Sam Vesty, regathered the loose ball to burst clear.

Steenson was wide with the conversion attempt and James eventually pulled back three points for Bath with a 24th-minute penalty.

Still, it took a tap tackle at the other end by James to deny Sireli Naqelevuki, as Bath were finding themselves stuck firmly on the back foot.

All Exeter's efforts were being undermined, though, by their indiscipline at the breakdown, allowing James to make it 6-8 with a close-range penalty.

The crucial moment then came in the final minute of the half when Banahan burst on to a short pass to cross, James - who had set his team-mate free - adding the conversion to give the home team an unlikely 13-8 lead.

Boosted by that late, late score before the interval, Bath came out a completely different side at the start of the second half.

Quick line-out possession led to Banahan setting Carraro free on the right and although James' conversion was wide, the fly-half added a penalty five minutes later as Exeter's front row felt the squeeze at scrum time.

Wilted

Steenson slotted over a penalty to briefly make it 21-11 but by now Bath were running hot. The Chiefs, in contrast, were wilting in the April sunshine.

Former Bath player James Scaysbrook was shown the yellow card for persistent infringement and tighthead Hoani Tui joined his colleague in the sin bin after the visitors were consistently penalised at a series of reset scrums.

Still, it took Bath time to make the most of their two-man advantage before they finally crossed for a third try that sealed the result in their favour.

Replacement prop Nathan Catt showed a neat turn of speed to break clear from inside his own half before laying on the scoring pass for scrum-half Michael Claassens.

Exeter did manage a late effort from winger Matt Jess, converted by Ignacio Mieres, but it was no more than a consolation.