Bristol kicked off and were soon penalised to allow Exeter to kick down to the Bristol 22.  Exeter tried a forward drive and pounded away at the Bristol line before knocking-on.  Exeter kept up the early pressure but struggled to make any real headway through determined defence.  A fine cross-field kick from Steenson pushed Bristol back and the lineout was claimed by Exeter.  Bristol were caught offside and Steenson made no mistake from in front of the posts to take Exeter to a deserved 3 - 0 lead.

Exeter drove well straight from the restart and Bristol struggled to contain the attack and only some over eagerness at the ruck permitted some respite.  Bristol failed to take advantage when Junior Fatialofa knocked-on when he appeared to lose his footing.  Exeter looked dominant before Tom Arscott launched a bold counterattack.  His brother too was up quickly and he sent a deft kick up to the try line and Lee Robinson went desperately close but was adjudged, rightly, to have knocked on.    Exeter continued to have the upper hand but a lack of patience in the face of a determined and well organised defence let them down.  Bristol looked a bit shaky when offered attacking chances and the lineout seemed very unreliable.  This allowed the hosts to counter Bristol and, inevitably the strain of continual defence told when Bristol gave away an eminently kickable penalty.  To the surprise of many they went for the adventurous option of going for touch only for accidental offside to halt the move.

This gave Bristol a breathing space and they managed to edge back into the game.  Good passing saw Tarscott and Robinson threaten but a knock-on was the only result and despite terrific effort from the Bristol pack they were penalised at the scrum.  Despite having seen little ball or territory, Bristol ended the half well and were rewarded for their resurgence with a penalty that Adrian Jarvis nervelessly slotted over for the equaliser just before half time.  David Blaney popped up, just as the half closed, with a cameo break and then a fine kick, but time was up.

Undaunted by Bristol's late equaliser, Exeter started the second half very positively.  They strove to make the decisive breakthrough and again Bristol were forced to defend manfully.  Of course the strain told and once more Bristol conceded a kickable penalty.  Once more Exeter eschewed the chance for points and went for touch.  Once more Bristol defended the lineout well and it was Exeter's turn to be penalised and they had thrown away a near certain 6 - 3 lead.  Bristol failed to make much of this relief and promptly gave away another penalty that Exeter sent to touch and then clumsily knocked on.

Having survived this intense period Bristol were able to build some phases of their own.  Tom And Luke Arscott looked sharp with the older brother coming close to touching down but was just thwarted by the Exeter fullback as they contested a kick ahead.  It was now Exeter under pressure and they were penalised at two scrums.  Bristol chose, on the second, the conservative (or perhaps liberal democraticish) option.  Jarvis kicked for goal rather than take the chance on a push over or penalty try.  So Bristol moved to a 3 - 6 lead that failed to reflect the hosts' dominance of territory and possession.

Stung by this reverse Exeter tried to quickly strike back, but a pointless bout of kicking was the only immediate result: mercifully terminated by an excellent long kick from Robinson.  Eventually Exeter got back onto the front foot and Bristol were forced to defend desperately.  Another penalty went to touch and Bristol conceded yet again.  Finally they went for the posts and Steenson was unerring to bring the score to 6-all.

Bristol pressed from the restart but this time it was steadfast Exeter defence that negated the threat.  Exeter kicked out of defence to force a dangerous defending lineout for Bristol but Blaney made no mistake with his long throw in.  Bristol resorted to kicking long and Larscott chased well to once more go close.  The TMO was briefly consulted but it was no try.  Exeter stormed back and Dollman made a searing break.  The support was up quickly and the forwards piled in and drove up to the Bristol line.  Soon most of the Exeter team were involved.  The TMO had the chance to do some more work but for a second time he ruled no try.  The referee had been playing advantage however and the reliable Steenson promptly edged his side into a 9 - 6 lead.   Exeter's aggression was rewarded as they went for the killer try and sent a kick into touch inside the Bristol 22.  Bristol won their lineout but Jarvis was unable to make much ground with his kick.  This time though the previously fallible Bristol lineout stole the Exeter ball and with time expired the ball was sent into touch.

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