Exeter claim top position with 6-10 win over Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks 6-10 Exeter Chiefs, AJ Bell Stadium
Scorecard

Lachie Turner remained the only try scorer in the game as Exeter Chiefs went on to edge out Sale Sharks with a 6-10 victory in their Aviva Premiership encounter at AJ Bell Stadium on Friday.

Both the teams struggled to get their first points on the board until the 30th minute when fly-half Gareth Steenson kicked a penalty to take Exeter to 0-3 but scrum half Faf de Klerk helped Sale Sharks level the scores with a penalty of his own that came in the 34th minute. The teams ended the first half with a score of 3-3.

The Aviva Premiership champions gathered early momentum after the restart as Turner went past the line in the 43rd minute and Steenson slotted the extras to take Exeter to a seven point lead. De Klerk once again responded back with his second penalty in the 57th minute to bring down the gap to four points.

Just as the game was heading for a tight finish, Exeter suffered a major setback when replacement Stuart Townsend was sin-binned for tackling with his feet off the ground and despite having an extra man, Sale Sharks could not quite push on as they succumbed to a four point defeat.

This is Exeter's fifth win of the season that has taken them to the top position in the table while Sale Sharks are positioned ninth.

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