Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 14-26 Bath Rugby
Ben Spencer was one of the try scorer for Bath Rugby
©PA
Exeter Chiefs 14-26 Bath Rugby, Sandy Park
Exeter Chiefs have been dealt a major blow to their play-off chances as they were defeated by Bath Rugby 26-14 in the latest round of the Gallagher Premiership at Sandy Park on Saturday.
This is ninth win for Bath in 15 games as they continue to remain second while Exeter now have 40 points and are positioned sixth in the table.
Bath had the better possession in the opening quarter despite which they remained scoreless until the 27th minute when Alfie Barbeary mauled over at the back of a line out drive for the first points and Ben Spencer followed with the conversion to make it 0-7.
It was once again the scrum-half, who kept Bath in a position of comfort by the end of the opening half as Charlie Ewels fed Spencer for the second try that came in 39th minute. Spencer was also spot on with the conversion as Bath ensured they completed the opening half with a 0-14 lead.
Exeter showed better response in the second half as Olly Woodburn collected on a looping pass from Ollie Devoto to dot down but his effort was cancelled out when Max Ojomoh touched down for Bath making it 7-19.
The bonus point for the visitors came in the 52nd minute when Miles Reid forced his way over for their fourth try before Stu Townsend scored a consolation try in the 70th minute which could not stop Exeter from losing the encounter by 12 points.
Team line up:
Exeter: Hodge; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Devoto, Woodburn; Skinner,Cairns; Sio, Yeandle, Painter, Pearson, Jenkins (capt), Roots, Vermeulen, Fisilau
Reserves: Norey, Southworth, Street, Dunne, Tshiunza, Townsend, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush
Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Ojomoh, Muir; Bailey, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Stuart, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary
Reserves: Faiva, du Toit, Griffin, du Plessis, Bayliss, Schreuder, Butt, Reid
