| Exeter: (14) 29 |
| Tries: Tuima, Painter, Wyatt, Iosefa-Scott Cons: Slade 3 Pen: Slade |
| Bristol: (13) 20 |
| Tries: Lane 3 Con: Sheedy Pen: Sheedy |
Wealthy Lane’s hat-trick was not sufficient as Exeter beat Bristol 29-20 and went prime of the Premiership.
Rus Tuima gave Exeter an early lead, however two Lane tries put Bristol in entrance after 20 minutes earlier than Ehren Painter put the hosts again forward.
Tommy Wyatt bought Exeter’s third attempt quickly after the restart earlier than Lane bought his hat-trick to make it shut.
Josh Iosefa-Scott’s attempt with 12 minutes left secured a bonus level earlier than a late Henry Slade penalty for Exeter.
James Williams missed a 79th-minute penalty which price Bristol a dropping bonus level as they keep sixth whereas the win strikes Exeter a degree clear on the prime of the desk.
For the third successive house recreation Exeter scored early as Tuima went in from a metre within the third minute after six phases within the Bristol 22.
However in contrast to their large house wins over Saracens and Sale, Bristol hit again immediately as Callum Sheedy’s penalty diminished the arrears earlier than the fly-half’s delicate kick dribbled to the precise nook the place an unchallenged Lane dotted down within the tenth minute.
Ten minutes later it was the identical mixture as Sheedy’s excessive kick was plucked out of the air by Lane and the previous Jersey Reds full-back shook off Tommy Wyatt to go in.
Painter pressured himself over from shut vary 5 minutes later as Exeter’s forwards dominated within the crimson zone – a lot in order that Bristol alternative Harry Thacker was sin-binned for being offside 4 minutes from the break after numerous pack infringements.
However regardless of being a person down Bristol held out till half time as Kieran Marmion held up Painter over the Bristol line.
It took simply 94 seconds of the second half for Exeter to breach Bristol as some highly effective ahead play deep within the crimson zone ended with Wyatt going over for his first Premiership attempt.
However the Sheedy kick to Lane tactic labored wonders for as third time 4 minutes later because the hat-trick man once more beat Wyatt to a excessive ball and went in down the left wing.
Because the half wore on Exeter’s scrum started to dominate, forcing a faucet penalty from 5 metres out that ultimately led to Iosefa-Scott going over from shut vary, earlier than the pack received the penalty that Henry Slade transformed with 5 minutes left that in the end denied the Bears a dropping bonus level.
Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter informed BBC Radio Devon:
“We have had a few excellent house performances and everybody’s watching saying ‘what is going on on there, the place’s this come from?’. At the moment was gritty and we have nonetheless come out with 5 factors.
“I am actually happy, it felt nice firstly, then Bristol pulled it all the way down to a stage of scrappiness and did effectively across the sort out space and slowed us down, and I do not assume we at all times reacted that effectively. We went error to error for lots of issues in the present day.
“What in the present day confirmed was there’s extra you are able to do in your management than simply depth.
“You need to have depth, however when the opposite workforce are there and on it as effectively it’s a must to additionally get some decision-making proper and we in all probability dropped off {that a} bit, however the flip of that signifies that’s the massive enchancment we are able to make in a short time.”
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam informed BBC Radio Bristol:
“I really feel for the fellows, the trouble they put in they deserved no less than one thing.
“It isn’t simple to play right here they usually got here out sturdy once more however we stayed proper within the recreation and fought to the top. It is simply disappointing for the boys that they did not get a factor out of it.
“Nevertheless it simply highlights the significance of getting the little issues achieved and you have to take your alternatives in these tight video games.”
Exeter: Wyatt; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Hendrickson, Woodburn; Skinner, Cairns; Sio, Yeandle (capt), Painter, Tuima, Pearson, Roots, Vermeulen, Vintcent.
Replacements: Frost, Abuladze, Iosefa-Scott, Jenkins, Davis, Armstrong, Haydon-Wooden, Hawkins
Bristol: Lane; Heward, Vakatawa, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; Sheedy, Marmion; Grahamslaw, Capon, Kloska, Caulfield, Batley, Dun, Harding (capt), Bradbury.
Replacements: Thacker, Woolmore, Lahiff, Holmes, D. Thomas, Randall, Williams, O’Conor.
Sin bin: Harry Thacker (36 minutes)
Referee: Hamish Smales
