Chiefs 26 Bath 17

Exeter Chiefs 26

Bath Rugby 17

Mark Stevens at Sandy Park

Exeter's master marksman Gareth Steenson fired the necessary shots as the Chiefs gained revenge for their opening day loss to local rivals Bath Rugby by winning the return match-up at Sandy Park.

The Devon club cemented their place within the top two of the Aviva Premiership with a hard fought victory that saw Ian Whitten and Kai Horstmann cross for tries, while fly-half Steenson landed four penalties and two conversions.

Steenson's 16-point haul not only edged him ever closer to Tony Yapp's all-time club scoring record, but it put him on 1,000 Premiership points in his career.

Bath, who threatened predominantly either side of the break, countered with two Amanaki Mafi tries and seven points from the boot of Tom Homer, but it was never enough and their woes at the wrong end of the table continue.

Fresh from victory at London Irish seven days earlier, the Chiefs made five changes in personnel for the visit of their nearest and dearest to Devon. Four of them came up front where there were inclusions for Messrs Cowan-Dickie, Williams, Atkins and Ewers, the latter of whom was making his first start since November.

While behind Dave Lewis - fresh from scoring tries against Sale Sharks and Irish - was given the nod at scrum-half in place of Will Chudley, who dropped down to the replacements bench.

Bath, struggling this term with just four wins all season, also made a host of changes to their starting XV that was undone by Wasps on home soil. In the pack, Ross Batty, Henry Thomas and skipper Stuart Hooper all returned, while rookie fly-half Adam Hastings was given the role of lead playmaker with Kyle Eastmond alongside him in the centre.

With the elements in their favour first up, it was the Chiefs who set the early tone, launching a series of early raids on the Bath line. Flanker Don Armand was the first to show as he tore down the left flank having been put in by Whitten, while Williams - making his first top flight start - also threatened with a charging run in front of the visiting posts.

Although the former Jersey tight-head was thwarted on this occasion, his efforts had at least set-up a five-metre scrum from which the Chiefs opened their scoring, Steenson landing his first of the afternoon after Greg Garner had adjudged the visitors had dropped a scrum.

The Chiefs continued to offer the greater threat on the front foot with some of their attacks which - at times - were proving sublime with some sumptuous offloading in the tackle. Bath, however, were holding firm and all the hosts could muster was a second Steenson penalty, again after Bath had been penalised for infringing at the scrum.

Such was Exeter’s dominance in the set-piece, particularly at scrum time, it was handing Baxter’s side the opportunity to not only glean creditable field position but, more often than not, a shot at goal.

Although Steenson saw his third attempt cannon back off the right post with a lengthy kick from halfway, he made no mistake with his next chance, plundering an equally difficult chance between the sticks to extend Exeter’s lead to nine points.

It was no more than the Chiefs deserved, but it could easily have been more as first Phil Dollman - on his 125th league appearance for the club - went close with a decent return from a poor Hastings clearance, then Steenson saw another penalty rebound back off the upright after the visitors were adjudged to have held on in the tackle as they looked to clear their lines.

Bath did their best to summon a response of sorts, but when Steenson intercepted a rare foray into the Chiefs 22, it instigated a counter-attack that yielded the game’s opening try. The Irishman picked off a pass from Francois Louw, it was recycled back inside along the line to James Short, whose burst of speed and fancy footwork saw him evade opposite number Semesa Rokoduguni before reeling in the cover to feed Whitten who did the rest with a smart finish in the corner. Steenson obliged with the testing conversion attempt from the touchline.

With the Chiefs seemingly in cruise control, they allowed Bath a way back into the contest right on the stroke of half time. Having gleaned a cheap penalty, the visitors kicked to the corner, after which their pack assembled en mass to drive No.8 Mafi over for the converted try, which was confirmed following consultation between Garner and TV match official Geoff Warren.

HALF TIME EXETER CHIEFS 16  BATH RUGBY 7

Two minutes into the second half and the visitors were celebrating again, producing a carbon copy line-out move that yielded a second try of the afternoon for Mafi. Full-back Homer again converted with an excellent kick from wide on the left.

Having been seemingly well adrift of Baxter’s high-flying outfit for much of the first period, suddenly Bath - who over the years have proved Exeter’s arch nemesis in the Premiership - were now firmly in contention, just two adrift of their Westcountry rivals.

At scrum time, though, Bath’s woes continued and having been warned during the opening 40 minutes by Garner, Lahiff was duly dispatched to the sin-bin after yet another set-piece dropped right under the gaze of the match official.

With the numerical advantage, the Chiefs looked to restore their grip on proceedings as they pressed forward in pursuit of points. Ewers and Waldrom combined to set-up one half chance, then Whitten should have done better with Atkins outside of him following a decent counter raid instigated by the impressive Short.

Although the scoreline remained untouched during Lahiff’s enforced absence, the Chiefs were at last beginning to find a bit of rhythm to their play. Tight work up front gleaned decent yardage into the Bath 22, the fruits of which allowed Steenson to land a fourth penalty with just 15 minutes remaining.

Bath, as they have proved over the years, are never done and dusted and having soaked up the home pressure, they then used their well-drilled driving maul to milk a penalty of their own that Homer dispatched with aplomb to set-up a grandstand finale to the game.

With both sides willing to throw the proverbial kitchen sink at things late on, the Chiefs used a driving line-out to allow Will Chudley and Short to combine down the narrow side. However, the latter ran out of space in which to work and the chance came and went in an instance.

Undeterred, the hosts continued to further their forward advances and having gleaned a penalty, which they kicked to the corner, they used the subsequent line-out to drive in field and there was replacement Horstmann, who emerged from the mass of bodies to soak up the acclaim of his team-mates. Once more, Steenson banged over the extras to put his side back in control and rob Bath of any kind of reward.

Victory assured, points in the bag, now the Chiefs will ready themselves for an equalling testing assignment at Welford Road where the Leicester Tigers lie in wait.

Exeter Chiefs: P Dollman; O Woodburn, I Whitten, S Hill, J Short; G Steenson (capt), D Lewis (W Chudley 60); B Moon (A Hepburn 63), L Cowan-Dickie (J Yeandle 51), H Williams (A Brown 60); O Atkins (L Stevenson 46-52, 72), G Parling; D Ewers (K Horstmann 60), D Armand, T Waldrom. Replacements (not used): W Hooley, M Bodilly.

Tries - Whitten, Horstmann; Conversions - Steenson (2); Penalties - Steenson (4)

Bath Rugby: T Homer; S Rokoduguni, M Banahan, K Eastmond (M Clark 7-12), H Agulla; A Hastings, C Cook; M Lahiff, R Batty (T Dunn 60), H Thomas (D Wilson 58); S Hooper (capt, C Ewels 56), D Day (M Garvey 63); L Houston, F Louw, A Mafi (B Obano 50, G Mercer 70). Replacement (not used): J Evans.

Tries - Mafi (2); Conversions - Homer (2); Penalty - Homer

Yellow Card: Lahiff

Referee: G Garner

Attendance: 12,612