FT: Bath 11-17 Exeter Chiefs
Two late James Short tries secured Exeter victory
England winger Anthony Watson made first Bath appearance since October
Bath 11-17 Exeter
Well what a way to end 2016's live Premiership coverage here on BBC Sport.
Two late James Short tries see Exeter come from 11-0 down to beat bath 17-11 and get their first-ever Premiership win at the Rec.
There's a full report on the match here, and we're back next year with live coverage of the four remaining games in this round of Premiership games.
Enjoy your New Year!
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-17 Exeter
Bath director of rugby Todd Blackadder told BT Sport:
"For most of the game we played really well and felt really dominant.
"It's a little bit frustrating and that's life, but Exeter took their chances.
"It's one of those games which we knew was massive, that's why we put everything into it.
"The guys really stepped up, we played really well apart from a couple of little moments."
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-17 Exeter
Exeter Chiefs head coach Rob Baxter told BT Sport:
"At half time I was thinking what can we say to the lads? Bath had total control in most areas.
"We had to make a complete attitude shift and slowly that dripped in through the second half.
"It did feel like the momentum of the game shifted our way.
"The comparison was scary for about 50 minutes and when we managed to shift that balance the balance of the game shifted our way."
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-17 Bath
That win puts Exeter up into third place, leap-frogging Bath and three points off Saracens, who have a game in hand.
Exeter face the champions next week, while Bath go to mid-table Newcastle.
Image source, BBC SportBath 11-17 Exeter
Exeter have the hardest festive period of anyone,.
Last week they hosted Leicester, who they beat. Then Bath this week, which they have won out of the jaws of defeat, and then champions Saracens at Allianz Park next week.
With the never-say-die attitude that they have, who is to say they cannot make it three wins from three?
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-17 Exeter
Exeter winger and Man of the Match Jack Nowell on BT Sport:
"You can see how much it meant to the boys, how much we put into that game, espeically in the second half.
"Rob (Baxter) gave us a bit of a shouting at, but we needed that, in the first half we dropped off too many tackles and in the second half we we really stuck it to them."
Bath 11-17 Exeter
That's it! It's all over.
A first-ever win in the league at Bath and from 11-0 down at half time the Chiefs come back to win by six!
Bath 11-17 Exeter
Can Exeter hold on? They are trying to run down the clock on a first-ever Premiership win at Bath.
For Chiefs fans this will be one of the biggest wins in their history.
Bath 11-17 Exeter
Quote MessageWhen I saw those two front rows come on for Exeter, that was the change in the tide for me. The physicality from the Chiefs since the likes of Cowan-Dickie came on has just gone up a notch.
Jeff Williams, Bath winger on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra
Bath 11-17 Exeter
Oh. My. Word.
They were 29-point underdogs at half time. Bath were 1/18. yet James Short has gone over in the corner after great pressure from the Chiefs pack and a lovely pass from Gareth Steenson.
The Irishman then goes and sticks over the conversion - a first-ever win at the Rec for Exeter?????
Bath 11-10 Exeter
In the reverse fixture in October, Semesa Rokoduguni went over in the sixth minute of stoppage time to get a win for Bath at Sandy Park.
Could we witness something similar for the Chiefs? They do have an extra man.......
Bath 11-10 Exeter
Nick Auterac has failed his head injury assessment so Bath are down to 14 men and with no more props available (he's the third to go off in this game for Bath), we have uncontested scrums.
Bath 11-10 Exeter
Steenson's conversion is good - we're in for a right humdinger now!
Bath 11-8 Exeter
James Short goes over in the left corner after amazing handling by Luke Cowan-Dickie. The England hooker initially fumbled the ball, but then recovered to get it out wide to the winger who went over.
Bath 11-3 Exeter
For all Bath's territorial advantage they have failed to score in the opening 30 minutes of this second half.
The Chiefs have hardly looked like troubling the scorers either, but if Exeter could get a try soon it would set up a grandstand finish to this one.
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-3 Exeter
Phill Dollman's kick is charged down and Bath lay siege to the Exeter try-line.
Quick hands lead the ball out to Watson out wide but he is forced into touch a metre from the Exeter line by Jack Nowell.
Bath 11-3 Exeter
Bath have been forced to completely change their front row due to injuries in this game so far, so we will have uncontested scrums with Elliott Stooke playing as a makeshift prop for the home side.
Bath 11-3 Exeter
Quote MessageJack Nowell against Anthony Watson is a great competition to watch. Both guys have been out for some time and they're desperate to prove a point, Nowell winning the first battle under that high ball. Nowell has been outstanding today and the stand-out performer so far for Exeter.
Jeff Williams, Bath winger on BBC Radio Bristol & Somerset
Bath 11-3 Exeter
Exeter win a penalty in the scrum and Gareth Steenson slots the three-pointer from 40 metres.
Image source, Getty ImagesBath 11-0 Exeter
Bath fans must lick their lips when they see it's time to host Exeter at the Rec.
In the seven seasons that the Chiefs have been in the top flight they have never managed to win in Bath - the only ground Exeter have never got a Premiership victory at.
The way this game is going that doesn't look like it is going to change any time soon.
Image source, Getty Images