Chiefs 20 Saints 12

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Exeter Chiefs 20

Northampton Saints 12

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

A record-breaker last week, a headline-maker this week - it's all in a day's work for Exeter Chiefs star Gareth Steenson.

Not for the first time in his illustrious Chiefs career, the Irishman's right boot again proved lethal, downing visiting Northampton Saints to keep Rob Baxter's side firmly in the picture at the top end of the Aviva Premiership.

Having broke the game's deadlock with an early kick, Steenson then slotted four second half penalties to go alongside Olly Woodburn's fourth try of the season.

Northampton, who won the corresponding fixture 8-3 back on New Year's Day, edged the opening 40 minutes as they claimed tries through skipper Lee Dickson and winger Ken Pisi, the latter of which was converted by fly-half JJ Hanrahan.

However, it was the Chiefs - led by Steenson - who dominated after the break, punishing an indisicplined Saints outfit, who were even denied a losing bonus point.

Playing at home for the third time in a month, Baxter was hoping his Chiefs side could maintain their impressive Sandy Park form, which in recent weeks had seen them pocket wins over Bath and Newcastle Falcons.

Although victorious against the Falcons last time out, Baxter still felt the need to tinker with his winning formula bringing in Ollie Atkins and Dave Ewers up front, while behind Dave Lewis, James Short and debutant Lachlan Turner also started.

The Saints, meanwhile, arrived in Devon with a juggernaut pack supplemented by the returning Jon Fisher at No.8, while in the back division Samoan flyer Ahsee Tuala came in on the left wing, while Irishman Hanrahan was preferred at fly-half to Stephen Myler.

With personnel in place for both sides, it was the Saints who started brightly, laying siege on the Chiefs with an opening gambit that more than tested the home rearguard. The home side, though, were up to the task, putting their bodies on the line to repel the attacking threat.

Having absorbed the threat, it was then the turn of the Chiefs to threaten at the other end. A loose line-out was hardly the platform they would have craved, but Ian Whitten lapped up the loose ball, charged through the middle before offloading to Henry Slade (pictured) who, with the line in sight, seemed destined to score.

Sadly, the England international could not seize the opportunity, spilling the ball at the crucial moment, thus allowing the Saints to clear their lines.

Undeterred, the Chiefs continued to press forward and when they came inside off a line-out in the right corner, a series of simple pick-and-go drives milked an easy penalty that Steenson dispatched with ease to break the deadlock.

Home joy proved short-lived as a sloppy restart from the Chiefs allowed Jim Mallinder’s side to turn over key ball, creating an opening which having first gone down the right side of Exeter’s defensive line was then worked back to the left, creating a huge overlap out wide.

Still with plenty to do, it was Ben Foden’s clever tip pass that put the Saints to within touching distance of the whitewash, before skipper Dickson did the necessary when he sniped over in the left-hand corner.

As the half ticked by at a rate of knots, the Chiefs looked to respond in attack. However, a catalogue of unforced errors and soft penalties were disrupting their hopes, much to the disgruntlement of the home faithful.

Feeding off Exeter’s mistakes, the visitors were able to extend their lead just before the break when again some powerful midfield running saw them create space for Jamie Gibson wide on the right - and although he was felled just in the nick of time, he was able to ship the ball back inside to the onrushing Ken Pisi, who crossed for the try converted by Hanrahan.

HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 3 NORTHAMPTON SAINTS 12

Desperate for a fast start to the second half, the Chiefs certainly resumed with a lively intent. However, first woes continued to trouble them as twice they threatened deep inside the Northampton half, but twice they emerged pointless.

The pressure was mounting from the Chiefs by the minute as Sam Hill continued to prove an ever-willing runner in midfield, before Jack Yeandle went to within inches of the line following some slick hands from Don Armand.

As Yeandle looked to put the ball back for his team-mates, however, opposite number Mike Haywood cynically killed the ball and was immediately banished to the sidelines by referee Greg Garner.

With the man advantage, the home side made it pay almost immediately as a continual wave of attacks fashioned space for Slade, whose looped pass to the right found Woodburn, who made no mistake diving over in the right corner (pictured).

Steenson shanked the testing conversion attempt from the touchline wide of the mark, but he made no mistake when he was afforded a second penalty chance just before the hour mark, reducing Northampton’s lead to just a solitary point.

Minutes later and the Chiefs had another shot at target - this time for Slade - whose booming left boot had the distance by some way, but sadly not the accuracy as his kick sailed wide of the right post.

With the noise levels rising all around Sandy Park, so the home side continued to pour forward in pursuit of a decisive blow. Aussie international Turner twice went close, before Slade’s intended pass to Woodburn saw another decent opportunity go begging.

The Saints emptied their star-studded bench in an attempt to quell the home surge, but a succession of penalties merely allowed the home side to position themselves deep behind enemy lines. Eventually, after several near misses, the option to go for goal was finally taken and up stepped Steenson to deliver a third penalty of the contest.

Back in front of proceedings, the Chiefs continued to rule the roost and having won a crucial scrum, they used the resultant penalty from it to kick territory and then drive forward with the pack. As Saints bodies splintered out of the side from an impressive driving maul, Garner had no option but to award Exeter another penalty which the Dungannon-born ace plundered with aplomb.

Whereas the Saints had been squeaky clean in their approach first half, Mallinder’s men had fallen apart in terms of their discipline during the second period. A point emphasised when Steenson was allowed to fire over a fifth penalty with just a minute remaining.

Even then there was time for one last piece of action where the Saints thought they may have rescued a losing bonus point with a last-gasp try. However, Garner wanted to check a potential infringement in the build-up and, following a quick conflab with TMO Geoff Warren, the arbitor was indeed correct, spotting that Exeter lock Ollie Atkins had been taken out illegally as he attempted to catch the ball.

The indiscretion allowed the Chiefs to have a penalty, they booted it down field and having won the resultant line-out, they masterfully robbed Saints of possession before that man - Steenson - thundered a kick into the second tier of the main stand.

Another four points bagged, it's onwards and upwards for the Chiefs, who must now ready themselves for Saturday's top of the table tussle with Saracens at Allianz Park.

Chiefs: L Turner; O Woodburn, H Slade, I Whitten (S Hill 15), J Short; G Steenson, D Lewis (W Chudley 50); B Moon (A Hepburn 47), J Yeandle (capt), H Williams; O Atkins, G Parling; D Ewers, D Armand, T Waldrom (J Salvi 54). Replacements (not used): E Taione, C Rimmer, L Stevenson, M Bodilly

Try - Woodburn; Penalties - Steenson (5)

Saints: B Foden; K Pisi, G Pisi, H Mallinder (R Marshall 52-59), A Tuala (J Wilson h/t); JJ Hanrahan (S Myler 55), L Dickson (capt, K Fotuali’i 45-55, 66); A Waller (E Waller 66), M Haywood, P Hill (G Denman 69); J Craig, C Day (V Matfield 69); T Harrison, J Gibson, J Fisher (T Wood 54).

Tries - Dickson, K Pisi; Conversion - Hanrahan

Yellow Card: Haywood

Referee: G Garner

Attendance: 9,822