Henry Slade attempts a whopping kick as Exeter are awarded a penalty.

It's probably a sign of how desperate both sides are to get what could prove to be match-winning points.

The Sandy Park wind had momentarily dropped, but Slade misses to the right.

What an odd moment. Everything seemed to stop and Wasps' Guy Thompson appeared to put the ball down for a try off Danny Cipriani's kick for the corner.

But Sinoti Sinoti realised what was going on and managed to get his hand on the ball to prevent Thompson from getting on the scoreboard.

Attritional. Intriguing. Tactical.

All words which are often used to try and made a disappointing match sound vaguely exciting.

Don't get me wrong, there's certainly a bit of bite to this match but we could do with some scores to really liven things up.

Newcastle thought they right back into this match thanks to Juan Pablo Socino's try, but the TMO has ruled it out. Falcons director of rugby Dean Richards doesn't look best pleased about that decision.

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We have played 54 minutes at Sandy Park, and still we await the first try.

Granted it's not been a classic south-west derby, but on the bright side we have two talented Premiership sides at full tilt against one another.

Which way will it go - Exeter are winless in their last four, so Rob Baxter will be particularly keen for the victory.

Bristol's Shane Geraghty lands his second penalty of the game and chips away at that Sale lead.

It's an easy penalty at the end of what has been their best spell of the match so far.

Sale hooker Neil Briggs is shown a yellow card as there is a shove at the lineout. Bristol close to the line, pressure certainly on Sharks' defence.

Can the hosts find a way back into this one by making the most of the numerical advantage?

The home side have woken up and construct a strong move forward, but they get nothing for their efforts.

Chiefs are patient and Henry Slade kicks out for James Short to chase, however the ball just won't sit up for him and it bounces into touch.

Elsewhere Exeter youngster Jack Maunder has replaced scrum-half Dave Lewis, who's had better days.

It has taken 47 minutes, but finally Bristol are on the board with a straightforward kick from in front for Shane Geraghty.

At long last, Bath are off the mark after winning a penalty at the scrum.

George Ford's kick between the posts is greeted by sarcastic applause from the home fans, given the England player's misses in the first half.

Exeter just haven't got into this second half - we're four minutes into it and it's been all Bath since the restart.

Wasps need a spark from somewhere. Will Dan Robson and Danny Cipriani be able to give them one?

That spell of patient build up pays off in points for Newcastle as Mike Delany puts over his second kick of the afternoon.

Wasps have failed to get out of first gear today. Can Newcastle take advantage of a sluggish performance?

Bristol have 40 minutes now to salvage something from this game. But they will need to improve out of sight.

We got there in the end!

After all that defending in the first half, Exeter look as if they've gifted the visitors the first try of the match.

However after a load of replays and different angles, the referee correctly decides there was a forward pass, and so Dave Attwood is denied the score.

We're into the second half now at Sandy Park.

There were plenty of knock-ons in the opening 40 minutes, as both sides struggled to break each other down.

Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder has the right idea - 'keep your eyes on the ball lads'.

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Newcastle are probing and pressing the Wasps defence and after a prolonged spell around their opponent's 22 they win a penalty.

But the Falcons will be a little disappointed that they just can't seem to find a way through.

It hurt, the tackle that left Newcastle Falcons front-rower Taione Vea sprawled on the synthetic turf at Kingston Park in their first Premiership game of the season.

He was dazed and confused, but had taken those bruising contacts before - they were all part of the job for the 20-stone prop.

This time, however, it was not a routine bump or knock, the 27-year-old had suffered a life-changing spinal injury and could not move.

It was not until a specialist later confirmed his fate that it truly sank in.

"He said 'You pretty much have to stop'," Vea told BBC Look North.

Read the full story of Vea's harrowing injury here.