Exeter Braves 51 Bath United 15
21/10/2017
Exeter Braves 51
Bath United 15
Flo Eggins at Sandy Park
The Exeter Braves have maintained their 100% record in this season’s A League competition, with a convincing win over Bath United at Sandy Park this afternoon.
The win puts them in within reach of a play-off spot with just an away fixture against Saracens left to play in the competition's pool stages.
It was Bath who put the first points on the board as the Braves were penalised in their 22 for collapsing a scrum, but the momentum soon shifted to Exeter. The Braves continued to put pressure on Bath’s defence and in the tenth minute, hooker Dan Frost crashed over from short range to put Exeter in front. Despite the swirling wind around Sandy Park, Sam Morley was only denied the conversion when the ball hit the post.
The Braves continued to put consistent phases of play together but were being met by a solid Bath defence. However, another Sam Morley kick to just outside the 22 resulted in a line-out from which the strong Braves pack drove forward to the try line, with Dan Frost dotting down for his second of the day. This time, the wind had a part to play in Morley’s conversion not reaching the posts.
Both teams exchanged penalties in the remainder of the first half, but eventually pressure from the Braves gained them territory towards the try line. In the 36th minute, a yellow card was shown to Bath’s Levi Douglas for coming in at the side of a ruck. The Braves soon capitalised on their extra man, and the forward pack crashed over the line, with Dan Frost getting his hat-trick. Sam Morley’s kick again drifted wide in the strong wind.
Half time: Exeter Braves 15 Bath United 3
With the wind at their backs, the Exeter Braves started the second half all guns blazing. The youthful back line were now getting a chance to show their quality with some excellent interplay, while forwards such as Horstmann, Kvesic and Salmon were continuing to dent the Bath defence.
The backs continued to find holes in Bath’s defence and eventually the pressure told, when 10 minutes into the second half Bath were penalised in the midfield. This time, Morley added three points to the Braves’ tally from the tee.
Just two minutes later, summer signing Tom O’Flaherty found a way past a raft of Bath defenders with a superb break and offloaded to Morley who ran in a try, before converting it.
The momentum was now well and truly with the Exeter Braves and it wasn’t long before some great work off the line-out resulted in a try being scored by Exeter University student Charlie Davis, who was wearing the number 14 shirt for the Braves. Boosted by his previous successful kicks, Morley converted the try, taking the Braves 29 points ahead of Bath.
The scoreline was further bolstered in the 67th minute when more pressure from the Braves’ forward pack resulted in a try for Kai Horstmann, with Sam Morley continuing his impressive form in the second half with another successful attempt at goal.
Bath United still had some fight left though and when the Braves were penalised in their own half for a high tackle, the following play resulted in a try by Michael van Vuuren with Josh Lewis managing to slot the conversion.
The final five minutes of the game were end-to-end, firstly with Joe Snow scoring in the corner, before Bath winger Levi Davis sprinted alongside the East Terrace after the restart to score in their corner.
In the final minute of the game Bath were penalised in their own half, following which the Braves demonstrated once again the strength of their forward pack with a rolling maul over the try line; replacement prop Ben Phillips being credited with the score. The game was concluded with the conversion, slotted by Gwyn Parks.
FINAL SCORE: Exeter Braves 51 Bath United 15
Braves: J Taulagi, C Davis, S M’Boge (C Morgan 72) , P Laverick, T O’Flaherty, S Morley (G Parks 77), J Snow (A Bagwell 77); M Low (J Owlett 67), D Frost (B Phillips 73), G Holmes (M Street 35), T Salmon, W Van der Sluys (J Caulfield 70), J Freeman, M Kvesic (T Lawday 79), K Horstmann (capt)
Tries - Frost (3), Morley, Davies, Horstmann, Snow, Phillips Pens - Morley Con - Morley (3), Parks
Bath: T Homer (W Partington 12), L Davis, Jack Wilson, James Wilson, H Davies, J Lewis (22-34 W Flinn) M Green; N Auterac (W Vaughan 75), N Charles (capt), M Lahiff (S Nixon 48), L Douglas, J Phillips, O Backhouse, M Van Vuuren, J Bayliss (62 D Jones) Replacements not used: J Martin, J Lilley, S Bath
Tries - Van Vuuren, Davis Pens - Lewis Con - Lewis
Referee: Ben Russell