“Donny-moi les quatres points, merci”
Sandy Park
By Exeforever
April 4 2010
Exeforever follows up his Nottingham report with a positive take on Exeter Chiefs play-off win.
PLay-off 'Pool B' Review
Doncaster Knights 19 Exeter Chiefs 21
“Donny-moi les quatres points, merci”
Two years, or even two weeks ago, this was a game that Exe would have lost. Yesterday they gutsed out a win that pays an enormous tribute to the psychological work that the coaching staff and players must have put in since the “Nightmare at Nottingham”.
Leading 18-11 Exe had to watch Doncaster score a penalty and an unconverted try to fall 19-18 behind and when Danny Gray was faced with an enormous 45 metre penalty from wide out in a fitful wind few of the away tribe could believe that he would take the kick on and even fewer believed that he would convert it. Oh ye of little faith!! the ball sailed, if not majestically, still sufficiently, over the cross bar and just inside the left hand upright. 21-19 with 3 minutes and a whopping 6 minutes of injury time (which in an excellent innovation was announced to the crowd over the PA) still to play.
Donny threw everything that they had at Exe but once we had the ball back and were camped just outside the Donny 22 the pack gave us the best display of catch and stop that we have seen all season. Donny knew that they couldn’t risk a penalty so (for the first time all day) had to remain on-side and Exe played with incredible precision, no knock-ons, no accidental off-side, no errors to deny their opponents even a sniff of the ball. With time just about out Donny risked committing the penalty offence, Mr Richards duly gave us the penalty and after a quick check with the ref Captain Fantastic Tommy Hayes booted the ball into touch and the celebrations could begin.
Just as it was hard to find anything to praise after the Meadow Lane massacre so it is hard to find anything to fault about yesterday’s performance. We blew a couple of possible try scoring chances with dropped passes and kicked too much but the positives far outweighed these.
Danny Gray had, arguably, his best game ever in an Exeter jersey. He nailed all the important kicks, none more so than that final penalty, found some sublime touches and created Brian Rennie’s try with a dream pass. James Scaysbrook is coming back into the sort of form that must make him a target for every Prem club in the country, James Hanks celebrated his century of caps with some of the best restart catching I’ve seen for a long time. Richie Baxter did exactly what he has done 349 times previously for the club, an emormous amount of work, largely unsung and always threatening to break the gain line (usually with at least 2 defenders hanging off him). Haydn looked wonderfully assured (such that CSS didn’t even get on in the second half). Tommy Hayes demonstrated true leadership all afternoon and the whole performance looked the better for it. It would be possible to write something very positive about all the players who took part but these reports shouldn’t require three volumes so I’ll stop at this point as far as the players go.
The crowd was estimated (generously I’d have said) at just over 1,000 of whom the away tribe may have been fewer in number than at Nottngham but we were certainly louder in volume; and thanks to both the team and Rob for coming over to acknowledge the support. It is a long, and expensive, trip but the journey home flew by on the feelgood factor.
Donny will feel hard done by at having lost a game that they will believe they should have won. However this wasn’t one of those “we wanted it more” games but a case of whatever they had in their bag of tricks we had an answer for.
Exe proved that we could come back from a deficit which is something that hasn’t had to happen too often this season and something we’ve not been very good at when it has been necessary.
Danny proved that there is life beyond Steeno and that it is of a very good quality
It gave me no pleasure to write the post-Nottingham review but it seems that the lessons have been learned. Yesterday’s performance was of a different stamp, skill and determination, direction and pace suggest that the train is back on the rails and (I’ll risk saying it) heading at high speed for the semi finals, bring a friend or six next week and cheer the boys on to greater heights.
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Did we REALLY play that well ??
Quote:Mabolza
Good positive report.( hope you're not just responding to GJ's glass half empty comment
Did we REALLY play that well ??
in a word - yes. all the positives are spot on. particularly the noise of the Tribe!
if you want a halfempty note then the lineout was shaky and needs work, but that is simply about the coaches and players putting some work into the training ground this week. not sure if the throwing, calling or jumping was out.
the six minute announcement is a new one on me, and caused some fun over the standside when the announcer had to be told it was actually 3 minutes andhe had to say it again. didnt know that the 4th official was the time keeeper?
Quote:knightandday
Mimor point on the attendence, the number given is the ticket stubs collected at the gate.
OK I did wonder whether season ticket holders were counted whether they attended or not.
Quote:It would be great to continue the level of noise there was at 80 mins v LW.Exeforever
bring a friend or six next week and cheer the boys on to greater heights.
Quote:Moorsman
Thanks for the report, it really does help the site stay lively.Quote:It would be great to continue the level of noise there was at 80 mins v LW.Exeforever
bring a friend or six next week and cheer the boys on to greater heights.
It would also be great to continue the level of RUGBY there was at 80 mins v LW.
Mind you, it was pretty hard work for the ones who stayed at home and listened to the intermittent online commentary especially when it off air, just after Danny slotted the final penalty, until the end of the match. 1
Guys treat your better halves sweet, save your beer money and pull in all the favours you can to get to the game. Even better, tell the better half you're going to take take her to London for the day, Esher is inside the M25 so you're not far from the truth. You could even treat them to lunch, a burger or pie and chips!! They may even enjoy the rugby!!
Lets out support the Exiles.
Chiefs Chiefs CHIEFS
Quote:3 wheels on my wagon
. You could even treat them to lunch, a burger or pie and chips!! They may even enjoy the rugby!!
Lets out support the Exiles.
Esher had hotdogs that are almost as good as the Haggett's ones that Posh Nosh sell and excellent pasta last time we played up there.
Unfortunately the radio link broke down in injury time so I was only too glad that we didnt give any soft kicks in the dying minutes... although now I have no nails and waiting for this Saturday.
All in all an excelent result (Far) Away to a very strong team. long may it continue.....
Ex Ex Ex