Exeter shake up Prem play-off race with big win over Bath

Reigning champions Bath missed the opportunity to go to the top of the Gallagher Prem table as Exeter Chiefs took a huge step towards an end of season play-off spot with a deserved bonus-point victory at Sandy Park. Exeter looked likely losers at half-time but a disjointed Bath had no answers to a determined effort from the spirited Chiefs in the second half, who were helped by a red card for Quinn Roux and a yellow one for Tom de Glanville on the way to a 35-12 success. Josh Iosefa-Scott, Paul Brown-Bampoe, Len Ikitau and Campbell Ridl scored Exeter’s tries with Henry Slade kicking three penalties and two conversions.

Harvey Skinner also added a conversion. Australia's Len Ikitau was on the scoresheet for Exeter (Getty) Dan Frost and Sam Underhill scored Bath’s tries with Finn Russell converting one. Exeter, playing with the advantage of a stiff breeze, took a third-minute lead with a penalty from Slade.

Bath conceded three penalties in the first 12 minutes and Slade made them pay with a second successful kick and on the restart they immediately conceded another when Roux high tackled Slade which resulted in the visitors’ dazed lock being red carded. Slade departed for an HIA before Ted Hill infringed for the second time in the opening quarter and Bath were made to pay from the resulting line-out. Bath's Quinn Roux was shown a 20-minute red card for a high tackle (Getty) Australian international centre Ikitau burst away to put the defence on the back foot before Iosefa-Scott was on hand to crash over, with Skinner’s conversion giving Chiefs a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Bath did not strike a blow during that period but five minutes later their pack produced an unstoppable line-out drive which resulted in Frost touching down. Slade returned, having passed his HIA, with Charlie Ewels introduced at the end of the 20-minute suspension for Roux but the second quarter saw the hosts unable to capitalise on the elements in their favour so a 13-5 half-time lead did not appear at that stage to be sufficient. However four minutes after the restart, Bath full-back Tom de Glanville was yellow-carded for a deliberate knock-on and it proved costly as slick passing from Chiefs ended with Brown-Bampoe outflanking the cover to score.