Chiefs 28 Gloucester 27

Exeter Chiefs 28

Gloucester 27

By Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

On Halloween weekend, Exeter Chiefs served up their supporters a timely treat as they kicked off the defence of their LV= Cup crown with a thrilling 28-27 victory over rivals Gloucester at Sandy Park.

A converted penalty try - two minutes from time - proved the difference on the day, although the visiting Cherry & Whites could easily have stolen it had Aled Thomas not seen a penalty chance cannon back of the posts with the very last kick of the game.

In what was a pulsating encounter throughout, the Chiefs sealed victory thanks to tries from Adam Hughes and Fetu'u Vainikolo, as well as their late penalty try. Exeperienced fly-half Ceri Sweeney did the rest of the damage with a 13-point haul.

Gloucester, it has to be said, played their part as they claimed converted touchdowns through Gareth Evans, Bill Meakes and Yann Thomas. Fly-half Aled Thomas also slotted two penalties to complete the scoring.

Returning to LV= Cup action for the first time since that memorable day on March 18 against Northampton Saints, the Chiefs were able to parade a squad that included six of the victorious Exeter team that day. Two of them included skipper Dean Mumm and hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie, both of whom were making their first starts of the season following long-term injuries.

Also included from the outset were young guns Jerry Sexton, Sam Skinner and Max Bodilly, all of whom were making their first-ever starts for the club.

Gloucester, meanwhile, arrived in town with a more than useful looking line-up of their own, which included experienced Premiership stars such as skipper James Hudson, Darren Dawiduik, Dan Robson and Shane Monahan.

Up against a howling wind in the opening period, it was the visitors who made the stronger start as a couple of early penalties allowed them to gain significant field position deep inside the Chiefs 22.

Although the Chiefs repelled the initial line-out drives, they were not so fortunate on six minutes when Gloucester’s two centre, Mark Atkinson and Bill Meakes, combined nicely to cut through the middle of the home defence only for Exeter to be pulled up for not releasing in front of their own posts. Up stepped fly-half Aled Thomas to plunder the opening points of the game.

Gloucester’s lead, however, lasted no more than a few minutes as straight from the restart parity was restored with a successful kick of their own. Sweeney’s hanging restart was gathered by the visitors, but a superb shot by Cowan-Dickie on Gareth Evans caused the No.8 to hold on in the tackle - and that allowed fly-half Sweeney to dispatch an easy penalty.

As is the case with games in this competition, a more open-minded, attacking approach is often adopted by sides and this fixture proved no different as both teams looked to edge themselves in front. Gloucester went close when the dangerous Atkinson caused chaos in the home ranks with a burst that almost released Tom Isaacs, whilst the other end home wingers Fetu’u Vainikolo and Tom James were always busy looking for work.

Chances came and went at both ends, including a missed penalty from Thomas who saw his latest effort catch on the wind and fly wide of the mark, but it was Gloucester who finally made the breakthrough again on 33 minutes.

With the whistle-happy Simon Harding having sent Exeter prop Brett Sturgess to the sin-bin for dropping a catch-and-drive, Gloucester exposed the numbers game to create a converted try a minute later for Evans, who powered his way under the sticks to make it 10-3.

It was no more than Gloucester deserved for their spell of sustained pressure, but with the last move of the half the Chiefs drew level once more as Hughes intercepted a telegraphed pass from Robson before turning on the after burners and scorching clear of the visiting defence to score by the posts. Sweeney obliged with the extras to make it all square at the turn.

HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 10 GLOUCESTER 10

On the resumption and it was the Chiefs who were quickest out of the traps, taking just two minutes to take the lead as Welsh international Sweeney dispatched his second penalty of the game.

However, home cheers proved short-lived as straight from the restart, the Chiefs pressed the self destruct button, allowing their rivals to pounce within an instant as centre Meakes exposed a yawning gap in the Exeter rearguard to claim a second Gloucester try.

Fly-half Thomas added the extras to that score and a penalty moments later as the visitors inflicted yet more reward after referee Harding punished the Chiefs for an offence at scrum time.

Exeter’s response, though, was encouraging as first they drove Gloucester back at a rate of knots with a terrific driving line-out; then Cowan-Dickie was denied on the line as he almost prospered from some outstanding attacking work from the hosts.

Although the young Cornishman was denied by some stout defence from the visitors, there was to be no denying the Chiefs a minute later as Lewis caught Gloucester napping with a quick tap penalty and he was able to feed the ball to Tongan speedster Vainikolo, who powered his way over in the right-hand corner for an unconverted try.

Suddenly the momentum was all with the Chiefs as they poured forward in pursuit of further reward - but no sooner had they got themselves to within touching distance of their counterparts, they were hit with a deadly sucker punch as Gloucester prop Yann Thomas stole over from close range for a third converted try.

Sweeney once again reduced the arrears with a third penalty to set up a grandstand finale, which saw the Chiefs lay siege on the Gloucester line in the closing minutes.

As pressure mounted on the visiting defence, including a succession of collapsed scrums, referee Harding had little option to award the Chiefs a penalty try - converted by Sweeney - with just two minutes remaining.

The drama, though, was far from over and as Gloucester threw the proverbial 'kitchen sink' at the Chiefs in the dying embers, they were granted a lifeline when the home side infringed at a ruck just inside their own half.

It offered Thomas another shot at goal but, on this occasion, his connection was not as good and although his kick had the distance, it cannoned back off the right post and into the arms of Hughes, who collected the ball and dotted down to signal the end.

Chiefs: J Arnott (T Hendrickson 63); F Vainikolo (J Arnott 70), M Bodilly, A Hughes, T James, C Sweeney, D Lewis (S Townsend 69); B Sturgess (C Rimmer 47), L Cowan-Dickie (G Bateman 63), A Brown (J Stanley 47, A Brown 75); D Mumm (capt, W Carrick-Smith 63), J Sexton; J Scaysbrook, S Simmonds (J Conlon 63), S Skinner. Replacement (not used): L May.

Tries - Hughes, Vainikolo, Penalty Try; Conversions - Sweeney (2); Penalties - Sweeney (3)

Yellow Card: Sturgess

Gloucester: S McColl; T Isaacs, B Meakes, M Atkinson, S Monahan; A Thomas, D Robson; Y Thomas, D Dawiduik (A Lutui 57), S Knight (S Puafisi 57); E Stooke, J Hudson (capt); R Moriarty, D Thomas, G Evans (J Batley 56, T Hicks 58). Replacements (not used): J Gibbons, C Braley, B Burns, H Purdy.

Tries - Evans, Meakes, Y Thomas; Conversions - A Thomas (3); Penalties - A Thomas (2)

Referee: S Harding.

Attendance: 8,712

UP NEXT FOR THE CHIEFS: v Bath (H), LV= Cup, Saturday, November 1 (3pm)