Exeter kicked off and Bristol tried immediately to drive the ball back.   Exeter were well offside but the officials utterly failed to spot it and Bristol elect to kick downfield.  Exeter took the lineout well and quickly burst into midfield.  The move was halted but Bristol were penalised for handling in the ruck and it was 0 - 3 with just minutes played.  From the restart Luke Eves took the ball out to the right wing.  The ball went on to Tom Arscott and then to brother Luke.  Forced to kick, he found a good long touch that looked to have been handled in flight by an Exeter player.  Bristol tried to keep the visitors under pressure but were penalised (after an Exeter player strolled round the side of the ruck!) allowing Exeter back onto the attack.  The Bristol defence looked solid but was harshly penalised and Bristol were further behind at 0 - 6.

Bristol tried to get back and staged a good attack with forwards and backs linking well.  Dan Montagu fed Eves who looked to have jinked his way over the line but was adjudged to have knocked-on.  The Bristol scrum was looking reasonably strong, and this allowed Bristol to contain Exeter and continue to mount attacks before a forward pass halted the momentum.  Tarscott had a kick charged down but Bristol were fortunate that Exeter were picked up for knocking-on.  Junior Fatiolafa made an excellent midfield break, fed the ball to Eves, then out to Dan Norton before Roy Winters (?) knocked on close to line.  Exeter remained under pressure before disaster struck when Adrian Jarvis attempted a really obvious chip kick over the defensive line.  At least three Exeter players (and half the crowd) read what was happening and charged it down.  Exeter ran the ball straight back from just outside their 22 and, despite some valiant chasing from Larscott, were in under the posts for a converted try and a 0 - 13 lead.

Shortly thereafter there was some sort of ‘disagreement' following a ruck and the Exeter 12 ran 20 metres to land a punch.  Although Bristol had the penalty this is often the sort of offence that earns a yellow card.  Further backchat also went unpunished.  Bristol went for touch into the Exeter half and Norton broke through in midfield following an initial drive by the pack.  The ball was whipped out left and Bristol had a 5 to 2 (at least) overlap.  Astonishingly they contrived to make a complete mess of this golden opportunity and failed to score.  However, the referee was playing a very long advantage and Bristol elected to go for touch and a 5 metre lineout.  They also made a complete mess of this and Exeter were off the hook.  Despite these demoralising errors, Bristol attempted to put phases of play together and Exeter were again penalised for handling in the ruck and Jarvis made no mistake to narrow the gap to 3 - 13.  Bristol looked to be more organised and patient at this point and won another penalty much further out.  Jarvis was unerring and it was 6 - 13.  Bristol continued to press and the Arscotts linked well to take play to Exeter.  A long crossfield kick eluded Norton but Bristol were penalised and this permitted Exeter to take play back to Bristol.  Another penalty soon followed and Exeter went for the posts and a lead of 6 - 16.  Revitalised, the visitors maintain the pressure and maul the ball towards the Bristol line.  They were held up several times but eventually the defence cracked as the direction of the drive changed and Exeter drove over for a converted try and an imposing half-time lead of 6 - 23.

Bristol tried to attack from the start of the second half and Tarscott was just forced into touch as he sped down the right wing.  Exeter relieved the pressure with good, accurate kicking.  So much so that they looked certain to score themselves but knocked-on from a desperate last-ditch Bristol tackle.  Bristol struck back and Norton followed up a nice Larscott chip to really trouble the Exeter defence.  Maintaining the pressure, Jarvis attempted a drop goal but was well wide.  The Force was with Bristol and the pressure told for another Jarvis penalty that reduced the deficit to 9 - 23.  Exeter were soon penalised again and failed to retreat 10 metres as Bristol took a quick tapped penalty.  This time the ball went to touch.  The ball was shifted quickly out from the lineout and the excellent Fatiolofa broke two tackles to cross by the posts.  Jarvis converted and Bristol were back in the hunt at 16 - 23.

Bristol were soon back in the Exeter half and slick passing saw replacement Lee Robinson onto the ball at an angle.  He fed Tarscott who, realising that the defence was up quickly, chipped over for Norton who had the pace to reach the ball and touch down for a try that Jarvis again converted to tie the score.  Exeter were stung into a response and they swept back onto the attack.  They patiently tied in the Bristol defence before a superb long pass out to the right wing set up a fine try that was unconverted.  Exeter were back in front at 23 - 28.  In their turn, Bristol strove to hit back.  Exeter were penalised at the scrum, where Bristol looked stronger as the game wore on.  Jarvis made no mistake and took his side to 26 - 28.  With time running out the match became increasingly frantic, but exciting, as both sides sought the win.  Exeter kicked down into the corner.   Bristol failed to secure the ball at the lineout and Exeter took full advantage when the Bristol defence become hopelessly misaligned and Exeter trotted over for the converted bonus point try and a lead of 26 - 35.  There was still time for both sides to play some high speed end to end stuff.  For an instant it looked as though Eves had scored in the left corner but, for some reason, Exeter had a penalty instead.  For Bristol this was their last meaningful action and Exeter were the victors.

This was an entertaining match that was particularly frustrating for Bristol.  Aspects of play showed continued improvement.  The scrum, especially in the second half, looked very solid and the backs made a number of openings.  Sadly, a lack of composure meant that the chances created, particularly in the first half, were not finished off.  This was the real difference between the two sides:  Exeter were more composed and patient and this allowed them to ruthlessly finish off the chances they had (despite some hints of forwardness in some of the passing!).  Bristol, in contrast, appeared to be rushing things and this saw a number of knock-ons and some fairly slapdash handling.  Now, if Bristol can only add some precision to their rapidity then they can become a formidable attacking force.   However, we really do need to be faster and more aggressive at the breakdown.  I'm sure Jason Spice is a better scrum half than he looks at the moment, but the slow support at the breakdown means he can only produce slow ball.  Unless he really is that slow of course!  But he didn't look like it for Cardiff.  Also of concern is the defence, particularly in midfield, although again part of this is down to our poor showing at the breakdown which can leave the tackler isolated and allow the opposition quick ball.  Still, thanks to the ridiculous play-off format we don't actually have to win games against our supposed closest rivals at this stage in the season.  I believe Bristol can and will improve.  The question is: can Exeter and others?  I've not seen enough of them to form a real opinion.  They looked good last season and have a settled side that has been well strengthened.  They performed well in preseason against top opposition.  Which leads me to the hopeful conclusion that perhaps they are playing at something close to their potential.  Or perhaps not.  Time will tell.

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