A League Report: Exeter Braves 27-20 Harlequins

A poor performance from the A team resulted in their second loss of the season 27 – 20 to an efficient, physical and determined Exeter Braves side.  That score has a gloss that it does not entirely deserve as two tries in the final five minutes salvaged some pride and a losing bonus point for Quins.

They had started, as always, at pace and with intent and that first attack brought a try on the right for Mantella in ninety seconds from the start.   Clegg’s conversion attempt from the touchline missed its target.  The Exeter response was immediate and a concerted attack opened a gap through which centre Phil Dollman went for a try to level the score.  The conversion was missed but the fly half, Dorrian, was on target with a penalty a couple of minutes later putting Exeter into a lead which they never lost.

It soon became apparent that the powerful Exeter pack was going to give the Quins’ forwards a difficult time.  Penalties were conceded from the first two scrums and the disruption of the Quins lineout compounded the difficulties.  A powerful Exeter catch and drive was only stopped by pulling down the maul.  Exeter took a scrum and Quins were immediately penalised again.  Taken quickly the penalty allowed the Winger, Foster, to cross for another try which Dorrian duly converted.

Too often Quins attempts to attack ended with handling errors or being losing the ball at the breakdown. Further penalties at the scrum merely assisted Exeter with field position. Both fly-halves missed penalty kicks before the end of the half, although Clegg did land one to narrow the gap to 15 – 8 which remained the score at the interval.

Quins started the second half seeking to attack from the start. However the catalogue of errors and turnovers continued.  Exeter was able to attack and gain a penalty inside the Quins’ twenty-two, but Dorrian’s kick failed to score. Exeter continued to dominate play and quick ball from the scrum was moved rapidly right for the full back to score wide out.  The conversion failed.  Soon afterwards a switch move from a ruck combined with inaccurate defence allowed another good try which with the extras brought Exeter  a lead of 27 – 8 as well as a bonus point.

During the remaining fifteen minutes, Quins continued to try to attack.  Good runs from Walker and Burns were stopped and time was running out when a quickly taken penalty by the scrum half, Bolt, allowed Tom Williams enough room to score a good try and give Clegg an easy conversion.  With a bonus point a possibility, Quins continued to attack.  Burns’ fine run saw him bundled into touch a couple of metres short.

With Quins close to the line and trying desperately to drive over, the ball suddenly came right very quickly for Lambert to amble across the line unmarked. Clegg’s conversion attempt, the final kick of the match, struck the post and rebounded. 27 – 20!