Saints had kept Exeter pinned in their own half for the first eight minutes. So it was disappointing that points were conceded the first time the Chiefs managed to get into the visitors’ territory. Mind you Josh Drauniniu’s interception of a Mark Robinson short pass left him on his own for a 50-metre run in to the line. Fortunately the approaching cover forced the winger to touch down wide enough out for Danny Gray to miss the conversion and keep the score down to 5-0.
Stephen Myler replied with a penalty in the 13th minute and took the lead in the 19th with a second as Saints turned their territorial advantage into points. The lead should have lasted less than a minute as the Chiefs won the kick-off and a kickable penalty. Gray missed again however and the one-point advantage remained going into the second quarter.
Drauniniu’s try aside, the Chiefs backs had barely touched the ball by this stage. But the first time they did so, in the shape of Junior Fatialofa, a 16 stone, 12 pound dent was created in the defence. His brother Mark came over the top of the ensuing ruck, however, and Myler was able to clear with a penalty.
Junior Fatialofa’s second break caused concern in the Saints’ ranks when Robbie Kydd stayed down after the attempted tackle. A couple of minutes’ treatment was needed but Kydd got up to carry on. The Fatialofa factor continued in the Chiefs’ next attack just past the half-hour as a penalty was won on Saints’ 22. Gray found his range with this attempt and Exeter re-took the lead 8-6.
The catch and drive tactics were being equally effective around the fringes and Saints were on the ropes and being denied the ball for several minutes. Again, however, the Chiefs conceded a penalty in Saints territory and Myler cleared again.
This prompted the best move of the match;, a sweeping attack that spread the play wide through Jon Clarke and ended with Carlos Spencer’s kick ahead. The good chase forced Drauniniu to concede a lineout five metres out, but the hosts won the throw, and a penalty, to de-fuse the danger.
It was only temporary. A free kick won at a scrum was taken quickly by Mark Easter, Alex Rae’s superb pass sent Dylan Hartley away down the blindside and Chris Ashton showed great strength to go power through Tom Johnson’s tackle to score. Myler missed the conversion but the Chiefs couldn’t make the most of their late pressure either and the half ended with Saints leading 11-8.
Exeter began the second half in the same fashion as they had played the first, with one phase after another around the fringes. Little headway was made and a penalty conceded that Myler kicked to the hosts’ 22. First phase ball became a second try for the Saints when Kydd beat the midfield defence to score between the sticks. Myler added the extras and Saints had clear water at 18-8, although he missed a penalty in the 50th minute.
Saints also threw away a golden chance to extend the lead a couple of minutes after that. Easter’s quick break and speedy recycling had the Chiefs backpedalling rapidly and conceding a five-metre lineout. But Saints couldn’t secure the throw-in, nor convert more good phase work as the hour approached and Exeter cleared.
Jason Luff tried to regain the initiative with a quickly taken penalty. Nothing came from this but the Chiefs’ cause was aided no end by Easter’s 63rd-minute sinbinning for handling in a ruck. Soon Exeter had a five-metre scrum, and though they were held up at the first attempt, a second set up possession for Gray to kick his second penalty.
Though this was a tacit admission that the defence was too strong, with the margin back to seven points with 10 minutes and Saints still a man down to go the Chiefs set about looking for an equalising try. But they conceded another penalty and Myler cleared to half-way. It turned out to be the defining moment.
Back to full strength Saints forced a five-metre scrum through Ashton. This was turned over but the winger soon forced another from which Mark Robinson scored by the posts. Myler added the 80th-minute conversion and though this didn’t end the match, play lasted merely three more minutes and Saints headed back up the M5 with the points.
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs – Marsden; Luff, M Fatialofa, J Fatialofa, Drauniniu; Gray, Stuart-Smith; Parkes (Dunlea 47mins), Blythe (Nelson 64mins), Andress (Blythe 71mins), Hanks, Stevenson (Bentley 75mins), Johnson (Willis 64mins), Miller, Baxter (capt).
Northampton Saints – Spencer; Ashton, Clarke, Kydd, Reihana (capt); Myler, Robinson; Smith (Tonga’uiha 51mins), Hartley, Stewart (Murray 51mins), Lord (Short 61mins), Rae, Tupai, Fox, Easter (Rudzki 74mins).
Scorers:
Exeter Chiefs – Try: Drauniniu; Pens: Gray (2).
Northampton Saints – Tries: Ashton, Kydd, Robinson; Cons: Myler (2); Pens: Myler (2).
Yellow card:
Easter (63mins)
Attendance:
5,796
TIMELINE:
9mins CHIEFS Try Drauniniu 5-0
13mins SAINTS Pen Myler 5-3
19mins SAINTS Pen Myer 5-6
31mins CHIEFS Pen Gray 8-6
40mins SAINTS Try Ashton 8-11
HALF-TIME CHIEFS 8 SAINTS 11
44mins SAINTS Try Kydd Con Myler 8-18
63mins SAINTS Yellow card Easter
70mins CHIEFS Pen Gray 11-18
79mins SAINTS Try Robinson Con Myler 11-25
FULL-TIME CHIEFS 11 SAINTS 25
