Match Review

Exeter Chiefs 36 Pertemps Bees 0

Chiefs Seal Bonus Point With Second-Half Bees Blitz

Exeter Chiefs turned the screw in the second half to run out convincing 36-0 winners against Pertemps Bees at Sandy Park.

The Chiefs got their noses in front on 8 minutes when a break by Junior Fatiolofa sent them into the Bees 22, and the visitors were penalised at the Ruck, allowing Gary Kingdom to slot a simple penalty on his 100th league appearance for Exeter.

From then though it was a frustrating 15 minutes, with the Birmingham side holding their own with the wind at their backs, and Exeter not really stamping their authority on the game.

On 24 minutes though good work from Kevin Barrett disrupted Bees ball at the Scrum, handing posession to Exeter, and Danny Gray burst through a gap in the defence to cross the line at the second attempt, having been tackled, but not held, just short.

Chiefs almost added a second try on the half hour, in a move that really deserved a score, but the referee deemed the last of several excellent offloads went forward.

The visitors then went close a couple of times, but a loose ball in-goal was flicked out of bounds, and Exeter held out at the end of the half to go in 10-0 up at the break.

With the wind at their backs in the second half though, Exeter came out all guns blazing, and added a further 4 tries within 20 minutes to secure not only the result, but all 5 points as well.

A close range penalty went into touch on 43 minutes, and from the 5 metre line-out the Chiefs pack rolled the maul until Craig Dunlea eventually went over for the score to make it 15-0.

Then on 52 minutes, Kev Barrett recovered the ball well when it squirmed out of the ruck, off-loading to Danny Gray who found Wade Kelly cutting a fantastic angle through the back-line, running at full-pace from deep to go straight through the Birmingham line, and in under the posts.

A similar excellent run from Jason Luff added another score just 5 minutes later, from a well-worked set-piece straight from the training ground. Chiefs took lineout ball and Richie Baxter popped the ball inside to Luff to burst straight through the gap and in un-opposed to make it 29-0.

It was 2 in a minute for Luffy as well, when a comedy of errors in the Bees defence saw their wing drop a ball and fall over, allowing Luff to kick through, and Christmas came early when the Full-Back didn't take the ball in-goal, opting not to simply drop on the ball, but try and take it and run out of the in-goal area, but as it bobbled around Luff charged through to score the try.

A decent performance for the Chiefs, who'll be just as pleased to have "conceded 0" as they will to have scored 36, and certainly ssomething to build on going into what's bound to be a competitive local derby against Launceston, and of course the cup semi-final the week after. The first-half display was a little frustrating, but changing a few of the simple things, like taking the ball at pace and straightening the line really pierced holes in the Bees defence, and eventually Exeter's conditioning and temprament shone through. Kev Barrett impressed before he was replaced as did Wade Kelly and Junior Fatiolofa who seem to both be on excellent form at the moment, and are striking up an excellent partnership at Centre.

Post match interviews here:- http://www.geminiexeter.co.uk/Article.asp?id=603490&spid=18157

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