Exeter go top!

Trailing 12-3 at the break, the Chiefs came out like a different team in the second 40 minutes to grind out that win.

Chiefs are two points ahead of Saracens, who go to Leicester later, while fourth-placed Northampton miss out on a losing bonus-point.

So close for Northampton. 

Exeter make a mess of the restart and James Wilson bursts forward and eventually Ken Pisi drops on it. 

The Television Match Official spots an infringement from the restart though and it is disallowed.

A huge roar at Sandy Park, probably the biggest of the afternoon as it sails over from Gareth Steenson.

That could be a huge kick come the end of the season.

Northampton with a rare bit of possession, but they just seem to run out of ideas with ball in hand.

Geoff Parling foes over the top, wins the penalty and Gareth Steenson can deny Northampton a losing bonus-point if he gets this kick between the sticks...

It's all one-way traffic at scrum time.

Exeter win a free-kick this time and boot it high and long to chase.

Meat and drink for someone of Gareth Steenson's quality that.

Exeter now with the slight cushion of a five-point lead and it's fully deserved. Can they score again to prevent Northampton from taking a home a losing bonus-point?

A barraging, bullying maul from Exeter wins them another penalty as Northampton's indiscipline is costing them.

Dead centre of the pitch, on the 22, Gareth Steenson lines up again...

Sale concede another penalty by interfering on the floor and Jimmy Gopperth makes no mistake to extend Wasps' lead.

Knocked over by the Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson and the Chiefs have the lead for the first time since the opening stages of the first-half.

10 minutes to go. Two points in it. Exeter heading top.

Guess what? Another penalty. This time five metres out, this time for hands on the ground in the ruck.

Now Exeter opt for the kick towards goal to try and take the lead...

Wasps are in control at the Ricoh. Danny Cipriani hasn't had a chance to get to that 1,000 point landmark yet.

ANOTHER Exeter penalty, this time from the scrum.

They decide to scrum again. They have to come away from this with some points surely?

Northampton do brilliantly to steal the line-out but Kahn Fotuali'i is tackled in goal so Exeter have themselves a five metre scrum.

Ethan Waller replaces Alex Waller in the Saints front-row.

Somehow Henry Slade knocks on with the try line gaping - I think he was trying to offload to the free Olly Woodburn outside.

Exeter have a penalty advantage though and they kick to touch for a five metre line-out.

After that breathtaking start at the Ricoh, it all went a little quiet for a while.

But, after Sale are caught offside, Jimmy Gopperth slots over a penalty to extend the hosts' lead.

A difficult penalty for Henry Slade this, just inside the Northampton half and on the right. 

He tries to drill it low and he has the distance but just not the direction.

Northampton scrum-half Lee Dickson is back on the a white bandage at the bottom of his chin where he was cut open - his chin length now looking Jimmy Hill-esque.

Stephen Myler has come on for Northampton who are now back up to their full compliment of 15 players. 

Exeter have another penalty as Christian Day challenges illegally in the air from a line-out...

Image source, Rex Features

A much cleaner strike from Gareth Steenson this time from the centre of the pitch.

Eight unanswered points so far for Exeter after the break with Northampton struggling to show their form from the first 40 minutes.

Remember Tom Wood? The man who was England's main blind-side flanker under Stuart Lancaster is on as a replacement for Northampton and one of his first bits of action is to concede a penalty for holding on.

Exeter totally dominant at the breakdown and in terms of physicality at the moment.