Exeter Chiefs
Windy Park..... The Report
Rob Baxter
By ExTeddChief
February 10 2014
ExTeddChief looks back at Saturday's windswept game at Sandy Park
Chiefs 16 Saints 17
The Chiefs took a trip to Northampton at the start of the season...they got hammered! Since then, well, our Premiership season’s been a bit hit and miss...we’re out of Europe...but we are in the less farcical stages of the LV Cup! Now to get our league form back on track.
Hauling themselves into a very wet Devon were a Saints side with players out on international duty. For our part we also had the honour of having Jack Nowell called up. The clash with a Six Nations game meant that it was an evening kick off, pretty sure it was the first one of the season.
So, head over the grandparent’s place about 5ish. My initial plans for Scotland vs England had been to catch the match on iplayer but my grandfather had other ideas and so we caught the bulk of the first half over dinner. Jack soaking up the Scottish defence before firing the ball out for England’s only try of the half...that’ll keep the critics quiet for a while!
There was no point keeping the TV on for the half time chat as we soon had to head off to Sandy Park. The rain...could have been worse, evening matches at Sandy Park are always slightly wierd at the best of times. We caught a glimpse of the back end of the England match before checking in, heading to the toilet then heading to our seats, found that England were now 20-0 up. In SW Comms West it was Saints fans ahoy, credit to them for getting down here given the circumstances!
Posts bending with the wind...it was time to rumble and the Saints fans were certainly making plenty of noise. The packs were certainly up for the rumble but Mumm getting sin-binned didn’t do us any favours.
Still, it was anyone’s game and it was certainly a nervy one to watch. Finally an attacking spell secured us a pen and Steeno slotted it from long range. If he had slotted his second attempt it would have been nice...but going three up wasn’t a bad effort for a sin bin period.
Then we got caught off guard. The Saints came out of nowhere down the far flank, our defence wasn’t up for stopping them and James Wilson went over the line!
Desperation spread throughout the Tribe as the Saints looked for a second try but somehow we dodged a bullet, it was looking pretty messy. We weren’t done however and went up the other end, secured a pen and thanks to Steeno, secured the lead.
And yet it didn’t last! Again we were caught off guard. Same corner and this time in was Samu Manoa who went over.
The Chiefs weren’t done, Steeno slotted a third pen before half time, but the visitors still led at the interval.
At time there was enough time for me to get a coffee for my grandfather, head back to our seats, then head to the toilet...but not enough to get a coffee for myself. Ah well, showtime once again.
The Chiefs were in no mood to hang around, in the wrong half of the table, we needed this win. First up, the Saints could only stop us at the cost of getting one of their guys binned. Fine by us. Then finally we went over but it was in the far corner and as the TMO had a look, I had no idea if it would be given or not...it wasn’t.
A penalty meant that the Saints weren’t able to rest though. Lineout taken and Saints couldn’t stop Lewis from scrabbling over. Steeno converted. Now we needed to hold on.
Chiefs vs Saints games are usually fun experiences and both sets of fans spent the bulk of the second half parodying each others chants but it looked as though this was going to be a tough time to be a Chiefs fan in SW Comms. The action was at the other end and it was the first time I can remember that the guy on the tannoy was asking us to make more noise...the tension was just that heavy!
Ten minutes to go...Saints try...or was it? TMO said no. Surely we would hold them off. The rain came swirling in...the Saints kept steaming in...surely we would not lose this one...they needed a converted try for crying out loud...and yet...that’s what they got...two minutes to go...
Two minutes to go...George Pisi claiming credit for the try, Stephen Myler finishing the turnaround with his first points of the night.
Yet the Chiefs were intent on getting the latest of winners...my grandfather yelled for a drop goal but a, we don’t seem to do drop goals and b, I’m not sure if one was really on. Clock ran out, ball went out...game over.
That has got to be the most gutting Chiefs defeat for a long time...given how dire Wuss are we are very unlikely to get relegated but now there is definitely a gap opening between us and the top six. We have to find some form from somewhere!
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10/02/2014 22:22
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