By New Boy
December 30 2024
Exeter Chiefs were desperate for their first win of the season and their work rate succeeded in putting Gloucs off their free-flowing style with Chiefs taking the game 22-15.
Against a side low in confidence the first score was all the more important and, unfortunately, it was gifted to Chiefs. There was less than two minutes on the clock when a Gloucester throw at a five-metre line-out went too long allowing Dan Frost to collect and dive over.
Plenty of time to put things right - but the phases just didn't come for the visitors.
Tamati Tua crossed again for Chiefs in the first half and all Gloucs had to show for their efforts was a Santi Carreras penalty.
The second half started better with Gloucs going into the lead courtesy of tries from Gareth Anscombe and Jamal Ford-Robinson. But Exeter wouldn't roll over with another Henry Slade penalty and a Josh Iosefa-Scott try bringing scenes of festive delight for the hard -pressed Devonian support.
George Skivington summed it for the media: "We worked hard, but in attack we just didn't manage to stick many phases together. The lineout was a bit clunky, we dropped a lot of balls and we weren't quite connecting the way we have been."