Chiefs 13 Gloucester 14

Exeter Chiefs 13

Gloucester 14

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

Often the scourge of Gloucester in previous top flight battles, the deadly right boot of Exeter Chiefs marksman Gareth Steenson was this time unable to land his side a telling blow against their Aviva Premiership rivals.

Handed the shot with the clock up, the Irishman's last-gasp conversion drifted wide of the target and gave the visiting Cherry & Whites only their second-ever victory at Sandy Park.

In a pulsating conclusion to the contest, Gloucester saw both Sila Puafisi and Sione Kalamafoni dispatched to the sin-bin as they look to curb Exeter's late attacking onslaught.

Although the Gloucester defence was breached when replacement Don Armand snuck over with seconds remaining, Steenson still had the ultimate task of nailing the crucial conversion.

Sadly, it did not happen for Devon's finest, whose other rewards came from a try by Matt Jess and a penalty by fly-half Henry Slade.

In reply, Rob Cook's boot kept his side in contention as he punished various indiscretions from the Chiefs, but he was unable to land the extras to Charlie Sharples' early second half score.

Looking to respond after their mauling at the hands of the Tigers the week previous, Baxter made three changes to his line-up from that which started at Welford Road. Up front, England international Tom Johnson came in at open-side for Ben White; whilst behind Jess and Tom James were both included after injuries to both Jack Nowell and Fetu’u Vainikolo.

Gloucester - fresh from their high-scoring home win over Newcastle Falcons - welcomed back England trio Ben Morgan, Jonny May and Billy Twelvetrees into their ranks, as well as experienced duo Will James and Jimmy Cowan.

And it was skipper Twelvetrees who helped to fashion an early opening for full-back Cook, who thought he had crossed the whitewash after just two minutes. Sadly, the former Cornish Pirates back saw his effort chalked off by referee Matt Carley who, having checked with the TV match official, spotted an earlier knock-on by the visitors in the build-up.

The Chiefs made the most of the let-off and preceded down field where, after an initial break from fly-half Slade, he combined with Luke Arscott and former Gloucester favourite Dave Lewis to put the home side within strike range. Although Lewis was felled deep inside the visiting 22, Gloucester’s scramble defence saw them stray offside, gifting Slade the chance to plunder the resultant penalty.

It was a lead Rob Baxter’s side held until the 19th minute when Cook restored parity after Exeter prop Hoani Tui was pulled up by the nearside touch judge for dropping a scrum just outside their own 22.

Cook doubled his tally just past the half-hour mark when he landed a second long-range penalty - again awarded when a Chiefs scrum buckled under the force of some intense Gloucester pressure.

However, the Cherry & Whites quickly saw their lead disappear as their Westcountry rivals claimed the game’s opening try on 36 minutes. The Chiefs pack did the initial donkey work, battering their way down field with a series of drives through the middle, then with Lewis and Slade linked, the latter fed Phil Dollman and then Arscott, whose looping pass released Jess wide on the right.

With still a bit to do, the ‘Heamoor Flyer’ pinned back his ears, ignited the after burners and scorched his way to the line, much to the delight of the home faithful. Sadly, Slade could not land the extras as his kick held up in the strong wind.

HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 8 GLOUCESTER 6

After a tense and somewhat uninspiring first 40 minutes of action, it was Gloucester who were quickest out of the traps on the resumption as early endeavour was rewarded when Cook landed a third penalty after Exeter No.8 Kai Horstmann was adjudged to have held on to a rival just metres from his own line.

Back in front once more, Gloucester then extended their lead when having turned over possession wide on the left, the visitors worked the ball back across the field through a series of multi-phase moves to Cook, who with Sharples outside of him, released the speedy winger who did the rest with a powerful finish from 10 metres out.

Just as Slade had found in the first period, the howling wind grabbed a hold of Cook’s conversion attempt, drifting his punt wide of the far post.

The Chiefs needed a way back into the contest and after some strong running from Damian Welch, Horstmann and then Dave Ewers, the latter expertly shipped the ball to Johnson in midfield. As the all-action back-row ace sped clear of the Gloucester cover, his attempted offload to the onrushing Luke Cowan-Dickie disappointingly went forward as May closed in to tackle his international colleague.

It was certainly a big chance for the Chiefs, who despite their best efforts in attack were being dogged by handling errors and the occasional turnovers. Indeed, it was from one of those turnovers that Gloucester came within a whisker of adding to their tally.

A hacked clearance from Freddie Burns set up a sprint race between Dollman and May, the former having a decent head start, and although the Welshman did well to combat the danger, referee Carley deemed team-mate Jess was not supporting himself in the resultant ruck and awarded the penalty to the visitors. Again, Cook could not capitalise, firing his 30-metre kick wide of the left post.

Replacements aplenty were sent on by both sides, but it was the Chiefs who appeared to be finishing the stronger. Hefty charges from Sam Hill, Ewers and then Gareth Steenson got them to within inches of the try-line, but just as they were about to pounce another loose pass curtailed Exeter’s attack at the defining moment.

The Chiefs continued to pile forward in pursuit of points and again they threatened when Armand showed some lovely footwork to evade three Gloucester defenders. However, as he charged towards the line, he was eventually bundled into touch and again the visitors again breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The pressure, however, was mounting by the minute as the chords of the renowned 'Tomahawk Chop' started to bellow from all four corners of the ground. The Chiefs certainly had the bit between their teeth and their cause was aided when Puafisi was yellow-carded for a late, cheap shot on Steenson as he looked to offload to his right.

Steenson banged the resultant penalty into the corner and from the resultant line-out the home side set-up a driving maul towards the line. It was like the charge of the light brigade, but just as it seemed they were about to go over, Kalamafoni cynically halted their run.

Official Carley was unimpressed and sent the Tongan forward to the side alongside Puafisi. Now with a two-man advantage, the Chiefs opted for a scrum penalty.

As the packs engaged, the shove was applied, but the ball squirted out of the rear of Exeter's solid base. Lewis crucially collected, before instigating another series of raids on the Gloucester line. The visitors did their best to repel, but in the end they could not halt Armand from touching down.

Sandy Park momentarily erupted with delight at Armand's maiden Premiership score, but that joy was soon quelled as the howling breeze got hold of Steenson's final kick.

The loss means the Chiefs face an uphill struggle in their quest to reach the Premiership's top six, but Baxter says with four games to go - and a much-needed break from action - his side will be going all out for success at Worcester in a fortnight's time.
Chiefs: L Arscott (S Hill 53); M Jess, I Whitten, P Dollman, T James; H Slade (G Steenson 60), D Lewis; B Moon (C Rimmer 64), J Yeandle (L Cowan-Dickie 35), H Tui (A Brown 56); D Mumm (capt), D Welch; D Ewers, T Johnson, K Horstmann (D Armand 56). Replacements (not used): J Scaysbrook, H Thomas.

Tries - Jess, Armand; Penalty - Slade

Gloucester: R Cook (N Wood 80); C Sharples, M Tindall (H Trinder 60), B Twelvetrees (capt), J May; R Mills (F Burns 45), J Cowan (T Knoyle 66); N Wood (Y Thomas 66), D Dawiduik (K Britton 36), S Knight (S Puafisi 55); E Stooke, W James (L Lokotui 60); S Kalamafoni, M Kvesic, B Morgan (G Evans 60).

Try - Sharples; Penalties - Cook (3)

Yellow Cards: Puafisi, Kalamafoni

Referee: M Carley

Attendance: 10,171