Exeter Chiefs 21-15 Bath Rugby, Sandy Park
Exeter Chiefs managed to edge out Premiership rivals Bath Rugby as they sealed a place in the quarter-finals of the Investec Champions Cup with a 21-15 victory in the round of 16 clash at Sandy Park on Saturday.
Exeter will now face the winner of Toulouse or Racing 92 clash on Sunday in the quarter-final scheduled next weekend.
Bath suffered an early setback in the 4th minute when Tom Dunn was sin-binned for a high tackle on Immanuel Feyi-Waboso and their problems compounded with Finn Russell also leaving the field injured.
Despite the setback, Bath were the first to open the account in the start of the second quarter as Thomas du Toit powered over from close range but Ben Spencer missed out on the conversion.
Exeter responded back in the 22nd minute as Ross Vintcent capitalised on a loose ball from Alfie Barbeary and Henry Slade kicked the extras to make it 7-5 before the visitors seized the lead back at the stroke of half time with Olly Woodburn and Josh Hodge tried to get underneath it for Chiefs only for Ted Hill to grab for the visitors' second try as the teams completed the opening half with a 7-12 scoreline.
Spencer kicked a penalty goal early in the second half to extend Bath's lead before Exeter wing Feyi-Waboso showed great pace to break the defence of the visitors allowing Greg Fisilau to complete their second try. Slade's conversion made it a one point game.
The decisive moment came in the 65th minute when a dart from Stu Townsend allowed Ethan Roots to go over the line and Slade followed with the conversion allowing Rob Baxter's men to complete a 21-15 victory and a berth in the quarter-final.
Team line up:
Exeter: Hodge; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Devoto, Woodburn; Skinner, Cairns; Sio, Yeandle, Painter, Tuima, Jenkins (capt), Roots, Tshiunza, Vintcent.
Reserves: Innard, Southworth, Street, Pearson, Fisilau, Townsend, Haydon-Wood, Wimbush.
Bath: Gallagher; Cokanasiga, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer (capt); Obano, Dunn, Du Toit, Roux, Ewels, Hill, Underhill, Barbeary.
Reserves: Annett, Schoeman, Stuart, Stooke, Reid, Schreuder, Bailey, Coetzee.