1 month ago
26
The Prem
Bath (26) 33
Tries: Obano, Barbeary, Carreras, Lawrence, Green Cons: Russell 4
Exeter (14) 26
Tries: Dweba, Woodburn, Fisilau, Feyi-Waboso Cons: Slade 3
Arthur Green struck in the final minute as Bath repelled an astonishing fightback in which Exeter had overturned a 26-0 deficit to draw level.
Exeter quickly found themselves four tries down after winger Campbell Ridl was shown a 20-minute red card just two minutes in.
Bath pounced, scoring through Beno Obano, Alfie Barbeary, Santiago Carreras and Ollie Lawrence.
Yet Exeter hit back with tries from Joseph Dweba and Ollie Woodburn to close the gap before the break and with momentum continuing their way Greg Fisilau and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso scored to make it 26-26, only for Bath to take the spoils in the final seconds of the game.
The win saw Bath leapfrog Exeter in a tight Prem top four by two points and go top ahead of Northampton's later game against Harlequins.
After a lacklustre outing against Northampton seven days earlier when Bath were beaten for the first time at home in more than a year, they were given a helping hand against in-form Exeter when Ridl was sent off for taking Henry Arundell out in the air.
Obano crossed from close range before Barbeary doubled their lead, spinning over after more sustained pressure on the Chiefs' tryline.
It was soon 21-0, Bath relentlessly cutting through Exeter's defence when Louie Hennessey, on for Arundell during a head injury assessment, cantered down the wing and passed to Carreras to run over unchallenged for his first Prem try for the club.
Ben Spencer passed to Lawrence on the overlap to score in the corner on his 50th appearance for their bonus-point fourth try, before Exeter were even back to their full complement.
But Rob Baxter's side have been transformed this season and showed their mettle to close the gap to 12 points before the break.
Hooker Dweba barrelled over and when Henry Slade excellently found the corner with his boot for the second consecutive time to put Exeter's line-out as close as they could go, the ball was recycled wide and a long pass to Woodburn enabled him score in the corner.
Spencer had a try chalked off early in the second half for an obstruction in the build-up by lock Enoch Opoku-Gyamfi, on his Prem debut, and Bath did not challenge the Exeter line again until the game's death.
In their first game of the campaign, Exeter fought back from 26-0 down to draw 33-33 with Northampton Saints in a thriller at Franklin's Gardens.
And a string of penalties gave them a grip on this game, with Fisilau breaking through to score before Feyi-Waboso touched down in the corner to draw level and turn the game on its head.
But it was not to be for the Chiefs - who still left with two points - as replacement Green was Bath's hero of the day, taking the spoils under a pile of players on the line with the final play of the game.
Bath: Carreras; Arundell, Lawrence, Redpath, Muir; Russell, Spencer (c); Obano, Dunn, Sela, Opoku-Gyamfi, Molony, Hill, Pepper, Barbeary
Replacements: Tuipulotu, Kirk, Du Toit, Roux, Underhill, Carr-Smith, Hennessey, Green
Exeter: Woodburn; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Rigg, Ridl; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Dweba, Tchumbadze, Jenkins (c), Zambonin, Hooper, E Roots, Fisilau
Replacements: Yeandle, Goodrick-Clarke, J Roots, Tuima, James, Chapman, Haydon-Wood, John
Red card (20 minute): Ridl (2)
Referee: Luke Pearce
