Rugby Battling Bears edged out after breakaway score by Chiefs

EXETER Chiefs turned a tight game on its head in the 58th minute with a 95-metre try against the run of play to claim a 22-17 victory over Bristol Bears in the Prem Rugby Cup.

- John EVELY

With the scores locked at 12-10, and Chiefs down to 14 men having just lost Lewis Pearson to a yellow card for dragging down a maul illegally on his own try-line, the Bears looked to be marching over the whitewash for a try to give them the lead in the contest for the first time in the match, but Martin Moloney burgled the ball and broke away before launching a suspiciously forward-looking offload pass to Charlie Chapman.

The scrumhalf launched the ball down the pitch to spark a footrace between Exeter's England Under-20s wing Campbell Ridl and Bears back Mat Protheroe, and there was only one winner, with Ridl hacking the ball on and then dotting it down near the foot of the posts.

The Bears, who looked to have swung momentum in their favour, never recovered, despite scoring two tries through wing Aidan Boshoff, with Sam Worsley kicking two conversions and a penalty.

Chiefs had got themselves the lead after first-half tries from Will Rigg and hooker Louie Gulley, who captained the side on his home debut.

The victory was a fitting sendoff for Exeter skills coach Ricky Pellow who moves on after more than 16 years at the club.