Richard Baxter leads the home side out for his 250th league appearance in the colours of Exeter to the cheers of a full house at a sunny Sandy Park. The crowd of 5876 a vibrant mix of Exeter Chiefs and Cornish Pirates anticipating a great game of rugby in near perfect conditions.

Exeter kick off and Adrian Winnan takes the kick off cleanly for Cornish Pirates and Exeter immediately assert pressure forcing Gareth Steenson to clear with the boot. Pirates play from the line out and Exeter concede the first penalty of the game allowing Pirates to attack deep into the Exeter half. The Exeter defence is strong and push the pirates back although another penalty is awarded to Pirates for the tackler not releasing. Gareth Steenson converts from 30 metres out in front of the posts to make the score 0-3 with 3 minutes on the clock.

From the restart Pirates receive the ball and kick deep again into Exeter territory. The ball was misfielded by Drauniniu allowing Lilo Vunga to gather and score in the corner on 5 minutes. Steenson misses the conversion from the touchline on the right. The Pirate supporters can be heard after a frenetic start by the visitors who lead 0-8 after 7 minutes.

Exeter recomposes and is able to compete from the restart giving them their first chance with the ball in hand after 8 minutes of play. Pirates concede a penalty for encroaching offside which Tony Yapp puts into the corner for an attacking line out 6 metres from the Pirates line.

Baxter taps off the top to the rampaging Bentley coming around to take the ball. He crashes over under the posts to pull five points back for Exeter on 9 minutes. Yapp missed with the simple conversion to leave the score at 5-8 after 10 minutes.

After 15 minutes of play the possession and territory have been in Pirates favour with an elongated period of play in the Exeter half. With little coming from the repeated attempts to cross the Exeter line Steenson attempts a snatch drop goal on the quarter of an hour point which drifts narrowly wide of the left upright. Exeter restart with the drop out going into the Pirates half in search or some territory only for Pirates to kick it back into the Exeter 22.

As Exeter attempt to break out of their own half having got control of the ball a dangerous Pirates tackle felled Exeter’s Tom Johnson which the touch judge spotted. After a talking to by the referee Pirates blind side Chris Cracknell was lucky not to be awarded a yellow card. The penalty and resulting line out allow Exeter some much needed and long awaited possession from which they try and gain some territory of their own in the Pirates half.

A promising move on 21 minutes ends when Exeter wing Drauniniu is well tackled but naively throws the ball blindly backwards losing valuable ground from which Exeter try but struggle to recover from. A telegraphed pass leads to an interception in midfield by the Pirates which results in an easy try under the posts which Steenson successfully converts making the score 5-15 after 24 minutes in favour of the travelling Cornishmen.

Exeter are awarded a penalty from the resulting kick off and Yapp makes up for his earlier howler with a successful kick from 40 yards out. 8-15 is the score after only 25 minutes.

Strangely, the Pirates kick off fails to go the required 10 metres and Exeter are finally allowed to assert some pressure. This is the longest that Exeter has spent in the Pirates half all game and the continued pressure finally earns them a penalty on the 22 fifteen metres infield. Yapp successfully converts and the gap is closed to 11-15 on 30 minutes.

Pirates kick off and force Exeter to defend once again in their own 22. They steal an Exeter line out and attack wide which Exeter defend very well earning a turnover and the chance to break out from their own lines.

A Pirate knock on in their own 22 goes unnoticed from the referee and Pirates kick deep back into the Exeter half. Exeter win the line out and revert to a tighter game and the forwards maul the ball to the half way line before Pirates deliberately collapse earning Namibian Heino Senekal a talking to but again no yellow card.

Exeter then begins a period of sustained possession and territory redressing the earlier imbalance. However it is Pirates turn to show their strength in defence and they continue to force Exeter to play in very little space. Eventually Exeter are forced into a mistake as they eventually breach the Pirates 22 for a scrum to be awarded to Pirates. Exeter are penalised at the scrum and Pirates run the ball out.

Exeter have one final push for the Pirates line before possession is kicked to the Pirates who call the mark before kicking the ball out to bring a close to the first half proceedings. A close fought contest so far with Pirates looking the more adventurous in the early exchanges and deserving of their slender lead. The score at the break remains 11-15.

Pirates get the second half underway and immediately pressure Exeter into a knock on earning a scrum. As they attack the Exeter line a loose pass is picked off by Drauniniu who races three quarters of the length of the pitch to score under the posts. Yapp converts making the score 18-15 as Exeter lead for the first time in the match on 42 minutes.

The Pirates restart is well fielded and run straight back by Exeter and another try is score. Exeter captain Richard Baxter touches down on his 250th appearance. Yapp converts from wide out on the right. Two opportunists tries in a minute and the balance now sits in Exeter’s favour at 25-15 after 44 minutes.

The half then settles down as Pirates wake up again from the break. However, it is now Exeter looking the more dangerous and after their two quick tries look for another and pepper the Pirates line before earning a scrum. The Pirates defence keep the Exeter effort out before Exeter switch the play and look to send the ball wide. Yapp breaks back inside and despite a heavy but fair tackle from the Pirates number eight, he manages to ground the ball over the line for the third try of the second half. He follows up with the conversion to make the score 32-15 in favour of the hosts on 55 minutes.

Pirates need to respond and do. They pressure Exeter and force their way deep into Exeter territory for the first time in the second half. Gareth Steenson finds a gap in the midfield and exploits it going over under the posts for a try which he converts making the score 32-22 on 57 minutes.

This obviously upset an Exeter side who are clearly the better side at this point after the break and a Tom Johnson try is the immediate response they wanted. Yapp converts the simple opportunity making the score 39-22 after 59 minutes. A different story to the first half!

It is then Pirates turn to once again gain some possession and apply the pressure and they venture deep into Exeter territory although a brave defence keeps the Pirates out before a knock on gives Exeter a scrum and the chance to clear their lines. Although, for all their renewed confidence Exeter fail to get out of their own half allowing Pirates to regain field position.

A powerful break splits the Exeter defence allowing Pirate replacement Rhodri McAtee to slice through and score. Successfully converted to make the score 39-29 after 74 minutes.

Exeter gain territory in the Pirates half from the kick off and are awarded a penalty wide out to the left which they opt to kick for goal. Yapp is marginally wide as the ball drifts past the left hand upright and the scores remain the same on 77 minutes. Pirates restart from the 22 and look to keep the ball in hand as they look for another score to give them a losing bonus point.

After another long period of attacking play by the Pirates deep in the Exeter half they again are foiled by the brave defence and Exeter are awarded a scrum close to their own line. Once again Exeter fail to clear and are forced to try and play it out of their own half before being turned over by the impressive work of the Pirates back row.

The Pirates attack continues and again they find themselves in the Exeter 22 looking for the important score as the clock runs down. They are forced into an error and referee Dale Newitt blows his whistle and brings an entertaining and physical encounter to an end.

39-29 is the final score although the sides were a lot closer than it suggests. Cornish Pirates had the majority of possession and territory but Exeter came away with the spoils after converting their opportunities into points. Exeter blindside Tom Johnson deservedly earning the man of match award - although after 250 league outings in an Exeter shirt the sentimentalists would argue that Richard Baxter would have been just as deserving of it.