Glasgow 20 Chiefs 16

 

Pictures: Exeter Rugby Club/Pinnacle Photo Agency

Glasgow Warriors 20

Exeter Chiefs 16

Mark Stevens at Scotstoun Stadium

In what is sure to be a competitive Pool Two of this season's Heineken Cup, the importance of gaining reward - home and away - was illustrated in all its glory this weekend.

Toulon were toppled in the Welsh capital by Cardiff Blues on Saturday; whilst north of the border Exeter Chiefs - conquerors of the Welsh region seven days earlier - were undone by Glasgow Warriors.

With one win apiece, there is little to choose between these quartet of clubs after just two rounds of Europe's Premier Cup competition.

What is significant, however, is Exeter are in pole position of the group - this despite surrendering two tries to the Scotsmen in their 20-16 loss - and Dave Ewers' late try ensured they headed home to the Westcountry with a crucial losing bonus point.

The Chiefs are in a healthy position and head coach Rob Baxter knows that with future tests against all three to come - two of which will be at Sandy Park - the quest for glory remains firmly in the hands of his players.

After such an impressive victory over a star-studded Cardiff Blues side, Baxter still felt the need to tinker with his winning formula. In the pack, Ben Moon came in for his first start of the season in place of Brett Sturgess, while behind Sam Hill's recall to duty saw him partner Jason Shoemark in the midfield with Ian Whitten switching to the wing in place of Tongan international Fetu'u Vainikolo.

Glasgow, meanwhile, also made changes with Argentine international Gabriel Ascarate making his home debut in the centre, whilst Niko Matawalu switch from wing to scrum-half meant a start for Canadian flyer DTH van der Merwe. Up front, Ed Kalman came into the front-row, whilst a re-jigged back-row meant there were starts for both Robert Harley and former Cornish Pirates flanker Tyrone Holmes.

In the second meeting of the two clubs this season - the Warriors having edged a pre-season friendly 29-26 at Sandy Park in August - it was the Chiefs who got off to a dream start as fly-half Gareth Steenson slotted them in front inside two minutes with a penalty after home skipper Al Kellock had been penalised for illegally taking out Dave Lewis at a ruck deep inside his own 22.

Exeter's lead, however, proved short-lived as within minutes the Scotsmen restored parity when they landed a kick of their own as Jackson - one of 14 Scottish internationals in the Warriors match-day squad - plundered a 30-metre effort after the Chiefs were adjudged to have strayed offside in midfield.

The early exchanges, though, were resembling somewhat of a slug fest as both teams took it in turn to try and batter their way through some stubborn defences. The Chiefs, though, were looking the more enterprising with ball in hand and with Phil Dollman and Tom Johnson keen to run at every opportunity, they reclaimed the lead with a second Steenson penalty after the hosts again infringed at a ruck.

But no sooner had Baxter's boys nudged themselves in front, they allowed the Warriors to again hit back with another successful kick of their own as Ruaridh Jackson drilled a second penalty between the sticks after hooker Chris Whitehead felled flying Fijian Niko Matawalu with a high fore-arm straight from the restart.

The kicking duel between the respective No.10s continued as the rain continued to lash down and it was Steenson who restored Exeter's three-point buffer when he landed a third penalty on 20 minutes after Holmes was singled out by French referee Romain Poite as the guilty culprit for coming in at the side.

Marksman Steenson was proving as lethal as always with his deadly right boot, but it was his hands that got him into trouble moments later when Poite deemed the Irishman has cynically stopped the Warriors just inches from the Exeter line. His punishment was to be sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes, thus allowing an introduction for Henry Slade, who came on for the injured Ian Whitten.

Despite being down a man, the Chiefs were happy to soak up the Glasgow pressure, even threatening with the occasional counter of their own as the half drew towards a close.

Then, with less then 30 seconds of the first half remaining, Lewis inadvertently kicked the ball out thinking that was the end of the action. Instead it presented the Warriors with a five-metre line-out chance. Thankfully, the Chiefs were defiant in there defensive duties and the chance came and went without a whimper.

HALF TIME        GLASGOW WARRIORS  6        EXETER CHIEFS  9

Although the rain had curtailed for the start of the second period, things proved decidedly brighter for the Warriors on the resumption as they set the early attacking tone.

Jackson saw an early penalty chance fall short of the mark after the Chiefs had collapsed a scrum, but he made no mistakes on 49 minutes when he added the extras to the game's opening try.

Solid approach work from the Glasgow pack saw them punch their way into the Exeter 22, the results of which allowed former Newcastle Falcons forward Tim Swinson to power his way under the posts.

Baxter threw on fresh bodies in a bid to get his side back on track, but the fresh impetus failed to bring initial reward as the Warriors continued to push forward in pursuit of further points.

A Tommy Seymour score for the hosts was chalked off - by the TMO - for a forward pass, but there was no doubting Glasgow's second converted score which came courtesy of man of the match Holmes, who was able to finish off a slick attack from the Warriors.

Down by 11 points and with less than ten minutes remaining, the Chiefs needed a rapid response. Driven on by skipper Dean Mumm, they dug deep into their reserves and in a sustained spell of pressure late on, their efforts were duly rewarded.

Having won a penalty for offside midway inside the Warriors half, they declined the kick at goal and went for the corner in a bid to salvage at least a bonus point. The towering Damian Welch claimed the line-out, his fellow forward gathered around him, before it was Ewers who emerged from a mass of bodies to claim the score, again confirmed by the busy TV match official.

With Steenson having been replaced, Slade duly stepped forward to fire over the conversion and set up an exciting finale to the contest.

The Warriors, who have yet to taste defeat at home this season, were not going to be denied and masterfully they ran down the clock and seal their first European win of the season.

With just a point covering all four sides in Pool 2, the tournament now takes a break until December when the Chiefs will prepare themselves for a 'Christmas Cracker' against defending champions Toulon.

Warriors: S Maitland; T Seymour, B McGuigan, G Ascarate (D Weir 57), DTH van der Merwe; R Jackson, N Matawalu; R Grant, P MacArthur (D Hall 57), E Kalman (M Low 29); T Swinson (J Gray 57), A Kellock (capt); R Harley, T Holmes (R Vernon 76), J Strauss. Replacements: J Yanuyanutawa, C Cusiter, M Bennett.

Tries - Swinson, Holmes; Conversions - Jackson (2); Penalties - Jackson (2)

Chiefs: P Dollman; I Whitten (H Slade 23), J Shoemark, S Hill, M Jess; G Steenson (F Vainikolo 73), D Lewis (H Thomas 55); B Moon (B Sturgess 55), C Whitehead (J Yeandle 55), H Tui (A Brown 66); D Mumm (capt), D Welch; T Johnson (K Horstmann 55), B White (D Armand 67), D Ewers.

Try - Ewers; Conversion - Slade; Penalties - Steenson (3)

Yellow Card: Steenson

Referee: R Poite (France)

Attendance: 6,047

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Worcester Warriors (H), Aviva Premiership, Saturday, October 26 (3pm)