Match Centre: Worcester Warriors 21-36 Exeter Chiefs
Joe Simmonds scored 16 points for Exeter Chiefs
©Steve Haag
Worcester Warriors 21-36 Exeter Chiefs, Sixways Stadium
Exeter Chiefs successfully overcame a spirited Worcester Warriors as they sealed a 31-26 win in the second round of the Gallagher Premiership at Sixways Stadium on Sunday.
The result meant Exeter now have two have wins from as many games taking them to the second position while Worcester are languishing at the bottom to add to their already troubled season.
Worcester headed into the encounter while continuing to face the off field battle after HMRC threatened them with a winding petition over a £5m unpaid taxes.
Exeter got off the mark inside two minutes as Olly Woodburn provided a perfect offload for Joe Simmonds to cross over but he missed out on the conversion.
The home side were down to 14 players temporarily with prop Murray McCallum sin-binned for a high tackle on Rory O'Loughlin and Rob Baxter's men capitalised on the numerical advantage as Harvey Skinner offloaded to set up Richard Capstick's try in the 16th minute.
Simmonds kicked the conversion as the visitors raced to 0-12 lead.
Just as Worcester returned to full strength, they got their first points in the 23rd minute with Alex Hearle touched down after Ollie Lawrence broke the defence of the visitors. Owen Williams kicked the conversion as the gap between the teams came down to five points.
Exeter were the dominant side heading into the break as a pass from Jack Nowell gave Richard Capstick the opening for their third try and Simmonds followed with a conversion and a penalty goal to take them to a 7-22 lead in the opening half.
The Warriors got off the block quick in the second half as lock Joe Batley shrugged off the attentions of Jannes Kirsten to set up a run-in score for scrum-half Gareth Simpson. Williams landed the conversion as the scoreline became 14-22.
With Olly Woodburn and Ollie Lawrence trading tries the game was set for a tense finish heading into the final 15 minutes with a 21-29 scoreline. Nevertheless, Exeter ensured they seized the decisive moment with Capstick and Ruben Van Heerden laying the ground work for Jack Maunder to crossover and Simmonds' conversion ensured they completed a 15 point victory.
Team line up:
Worcester: Shillcock; Humphreys, Lawrence, Venter (capt), Hearle; Williams, Simpson; Morozov, Langdon, McCallum, Batley, A Kitchener, Lee-Warner, Neild, Dodd.
Reserves: Faiva, Sutherland, Tyack, Kitchener, Kvesic, Chudley, Searle, Heward.
Exeter: J Simmonds; Nowell, O'Loughlin, Whitten, Woodburn; Skinner, Townsend; Hepburn, Yeandle (capt), Street, Dunne, Gray, Kirsten, Tshiunza, Capstick.
Reserves: Innard, Kenny, Schickerling, Van Heerden, Ewers, Maunder, Kata, Cordero
