Exeter (6) 15
Pens: Davis 5

Leeds (3) 9
Pens: Thomas 3

Exeter's win put them 15 points ahead of Leeds in the Premiership table

Exeter fly-half Ryan Davis kicked all their points as the Chiefs stretched Leeds' winless run in the Premiership to eight games with a 15-9 win.

Davis converted both his first-half penalties but Cieron Thomas could only land one as the half ended 6-3.

Thomas pulled the visitors level after the break before Davis landed three more unanswered penalties.

Thomas salvaged a losing bonus point in the final minutes but it will do little to ease Leeds' relegation concerns.

Davis gave Chiefs the lead seven minutes in after Leeds were penalised for collapsing the scrum and five minutes later he doubled their lead after Mark Foster was taken out after kicking ahead.

Exeter built some good momentum through playing a tight game but the opening quarter was notable for the high number of turnovers on both sides.

Leeds enjoyed the better chances in a cagey first half as Henry Fa'afili came close but threw a needless pass as he closed in on the line.

Marco Wentzel produced a chance out of nothing as his dummy on half-way split the Chiefs defence. His chip ahead beat Luke Arscott but the Leeds captain could not ground the ball before it rolled dead.

Thomas struck the upright with a penalty attempt five minutes before the break but redeemed himself with a minute to go after Scott Mathie was tackled late.

Exeter dominated the opening exchanges after the break but Leeds produced the first real chance when Wentzel began a counter attack that saw Michael Stephenson, Thomas and then Phil Nilsen all denied by some committed defending.

Leeds won the resulting penalty for Thomas to bring the scores level on 50 minutes.

Exeter then went close as Jason Shoemark, off the bench on his debut, was hauled down yards short before Richard Baxter knocked on with Leeds on the ropes.

Davis pushed his third penalty attempt wide but with 20 minutes left redeemed himself to give the Chiefs the lead.

After Thomas dropped his chance to draw level under the crossbar Exeter rallied and camped in the Leeds half before crossing the line - only to be held up.

Leeds were penalised for boring in from the resulting five-metre scrum in front of the posts and Davis gave Exeter a six-point lead with 10 minutes left.

The former Bath man looked to have put a losing bonus point beyond the visitors with another penalty after Danny Paul was penalised at a ruck but Thomas's 79th minute kick ensured the Yorkshiremen did not leave Devon empty-handed.

Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter:
"This was our biggest win, without doubt. The pressure that is on a team when you are expected to win, or when things are going well, is totally different.

"Although we started with a controlled display and got some penalties we were going through the motions a little bit.

"We re-grouped at half time, having given away a lot of possession and ball in the first half.

"We had players making offloads who would normally carry. We almost tried to play pretty and I think you have to beat Leeds by being direct, physical and hard. We got back to that in the second half and ultimately that is what won us the game."

Leeds head coach Neil Back:
"We tried to play from too deep and when points were scored against us we gave the ball back too cheaply.

"We kicked in areas where there was no competition and gave them a free kick back.

"The passion, desire, workrate and effort is fantastic and belies the position we are in but we have to combine it with some smart decision making.

"We definitely have the players that are able to do it and we need to do it under pressure. We have to learn quickly. There are still a lot of points to be won.

"We know that from last season when we were in a similar position. We got what was needed to consolidate our place in the Premiership and we believe we can still do that."

Exeter: Arscott; Higgins, Dollman, Rennie, Foster; Davis, Thomas; Sturgess, Alcott, Budgen; Hayes (capt), Hanks; Johnson, Scaysbrook, Baxter.

Replacements: Shoemark for Rennie (51), Whitehead for Alcott (70), Tui for Budgen (57), Slade for Baxter (63).

Leeds: Stephenson; Blackett, Fa'afili, Barrow, Wackett; Thomas, Mathie; Hardy, Nilsen, Gomez; Denton, Wentzel (capt); Myall, Oakley, Brown.

Replacements: MacKay for S. Barrow (61), Fury for Mathie (70), Swainston for Gomez (55), To'oala for Oakley (70), Paul for Browne (61).

Att: 7,743

Ref: Dave Pearson (RFU).

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