Bristol go top with last-gasp victory over Exeter
PREMIERSHIP REPORT: Bristol Bears scored a last-minute try to complete an incredible comeback to beat Exeter Chiefs 20-17 at Sandy Park.
The visitors trailed by 17 points at the break but overhauled the third-highest points tally in Premiership history in the final play of the game.
Henry Slade took the ball to within a metre of the tryline and after a couple of shunts from the forwards, Sam Simmonds was able to get over with 15 minutes on the clock.
And ten minutes later a stolen line-out saw the ball transferred neatly through the backs before moving back in field for Nic White to finish off.
But Callum Sheedy set the wheels in motion in the second half with two penalties before Piers O’Conor finished off a lovely move to put the visitors to within touching distance.
And as the clock ticked into the red, a driving maul chewed up 20 metres of the Sandy Park pitch before Dan Thomas eventually grounded the ball to complete the comeback.
The scorers:
For Exeter Chiefs:
Tries: Simmonds, White
Cons: Simmonds 2
Pen: Simmonds
For Bristol Bears:
Tries: O’Conor, Thomas
Cons: Sheedy 2
Pens: Sheedy 2
Yellow card: Nic White (Exeter Chiefs, 61)
Teams:
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Stuart Hogg, 14 Tom O’Flaherty, 13 Henry Slade, 12 Sam Hill, 11 Alex Cuthbert, 10 Joe Simmonds, 9 Nic White, 8 Sam Simmonds, 7 Matt Kvesic, 6 Jacques Vermeulen, 5 Jonny Hill, 4 Jannes Kirsten, 3 Harry Williams, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Alec Hepburn.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Billy Keast, 18 Marcus Street, 19 Sean Lonsdale, 20 Don Armand, 21 Jack Maunder, 22 Gareth Steenson, 23 Jack Nowell.
Bristol Bears: 15 Charles Piutau, 14 Luke Morahan, 13 Will Hurrell, 12 Siale Piutau, 11 Piers O’Conor, 10 Callum Sheedy, 9 Harry Randall, 8 Nathan Hughes, 7 Jake Heenan, 6 Steven Luatua (captain), 5 Chris Vui, 4 Dave Attwood, 3 John Afoa, 2 Harry Thacker, 1 Jake Woolmore.
Replacements: 16 Will Capon, 17 Yann Thomas, 18 Lewis Thiede, 19 Ed Holmes, 20 Dan Thomas, 21 Andy Uren, 22 Ioan Lloyd, 23 Toby Fricker.
Referee: Karl Dickson
Assistant Referees: Simon Harding & Jonathan Healy.
TMO: Keith Lewis.
@PremRugby
