Exeter move third in the Aviva Premiership after 16-6 win over Bath
Last Updated: 02/03/15 11:10am
Henry Slade was the hero as Exeter claimed a first-ever Premiership win against Bath and moved up to third in the table.
The 21-year-old kicked three penalties and a conversion in a 16-6 victory which sent Bath, who slipped from second to fourth, to their fourth defeat on the spin.
The sell-out crowd of 12,621 at Sandy Park may not have been treated to the most thrilling game but the result brought the Chiefs a standing ovation at the final whistle as Bath failed to close the gap on leaders Northampton.
Bath went in at half-time with a 6-3 advantage, despite having Micky Young in the sin-bin for 10 minutes. Tom Homer kicked two penalties for the visitors with the Chiefs replying with one from Slade.
Exeter were back on level terms shortly after the restart through Slade's second penalty before adding a third with 12 minutes of the game remaining. The half then added the extras for a late touchdown from Will Chudley.
Despite a revamped front row, Bath caused the Chiefs countless problems and won penalties though some of the decisions on the offenders identified by referee Dean Richards were questionable.
Bath went into the lead after six minutes after the Chiefs were penalised at the scrum and full-back Homer landed the 25-metre kick.
The visitors looked set to be on course to follow it up with a try, but the Chiefs skipper Dean Mumm intercepted a pass and raced 50 metres before being tackled by Homer. The second row managed to get the ball away to Michael Rimmer but he was tackled off the ball by scrum-half Young.
The referee's attention was drawn to the offence by assistant Thomas Foley and, after consulting TMO Geoff Warren, Young was yellow carded and fly-half Slade levelled the scores with a 30-metre penalty. Bath ran down the clock until Young returned.
The pace of the game was very slow and the crowd's dissatisfaction at the lack of intervention by referee Richards resulted in slow handclaps. Then, just before the break, Homer landed a 22-metre penalty for a 6-3 lead when Rimmer went off his feet.
The Chiefs were quickly back on level terms shortly after the restart as Slade, with the wind down at his back, landed a penalty from just inside the Bath half. Questionable decisions by the referee, as well as time wasting by the visitors, continued.
With 15 minutes to go the Chiefs put some pace in the game and pressed Bath back deep in their own half, coming within a metre of the line before winning a penalty which Slade slotted between the uprights from out wide on the right.
Bath looked to reply, immediately testing the Chiefs' defence only to be countered by some good attacking play and driving mauls which resulted in the only try of game from Chudley which Slade converted.
