Premiership: Exeter Chiefs 40-3 Bath - Spectacular Tom O'Flaherty try helps Chiefs to victory

Tom O'Flaherty's spectacular first-half try will be a contender for one of the best of the season

Tom O'Flaherty's spectacular try helped Exeter cruise past Bath and maintain their winning start to the season.

The winger volleyed Joe Simmonds' cross-field kick from 40 metres out before racing through to score the Chiefs' third try in the first half.

Two push-over tries by Sam Simmonds had helped Exeter lead 21-3 at half time.

A penalty try secured Exeter's bonus point before Sam Hidalgo-Clyne and Ian Whitten scored to complete the rout over their West County rivals.

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The reigning champions are already two points clear at the top of the Premiership, although Leicester could draw level with a bonus-point win at London Irish on Sunday.

Bath, who surprisingly lost to newly-promoted Newcastle at home last week, drop to the bottom of the league on points difference after two matches.

Exeter's pack proved too strong for Bath for the opening try, but the visiting forwards hit back well and forced a penalty in front of the posts which Rhys Priestland dispatched four minutes later. It was to be Bath's only points of the game.

The Premiership and European champions got into their stride as the half wore on and after 30 minutes forced a couple of five-metre line-outs - the second of which saw Simmonds take his tally to five tries for the season in just two games.

Sam Simmonds has five tries in two games this season - three more than his nearest rival

Just a couple of minutes later O'Flaherty scored a contender for try of the season in a moment that will make this match memorable for a long time to come. Joe Simmonds' kick was met with the outside of the winger's right boot and he raced into the in-goal area to chase down the ball ahead of the onrushing Tom de Glanville.

Bath's defence did well to nullify Exeter's fierce forwards from close range on a number of occasions either side of half-time as they returned to Sandy Park just seven weeks after losing their Premiership semi-final 35-6.

After an hour they could not hold out any more and following a series of penalties they conceded a penalty try, with Josh McNally going into the sin bin.

Bath's defence did well to hold Exeter up over the line five minutes later and replacement Richard Capstick knocked on when he tried to ground from the resulting scrum but, from the next scrum, Hidalgo-Clyne scored as the Chiefs pack overpowered their opponents.

With three minutes left a dejected Bath side conceded a sixth try as a nice passing move from 10 metres out ended with long-serving back Whitten going over in the left corner.

Exeter head coach Ali Hepher told BBC Radio Devon:

"We're really pleased with where we are mentally, coming off the back of the two wins last season. It was always going to be a tough ask to get back up for it.

"We've been able to keep the momentum that we've built up and, if anything, the guys have taken confidence from being able to achieve what they did last year.

"They know they've got to work hard and they've shown that over the last two weeks. I'm really delighted with where we are after two games."

On Tom O'Flaherty's try:

"I'm delighted with how it all came off for him. It was reward for chasing hard. Fair play to him. It was a great chase-down and he got his rewards.

"I'm really pleased that Simmo found the space with the initial kick, but you need a bit of luck, and the harder you work the luckier you get."

Bath director of rugby Stuart Hooper told BBC Radio Bristol:

"Our collision work in the first half was a marked improvement on last week. The boys were getting off the line and making some big shots and knocking Exeter back.

"Ultimately we lost the game with set-piece discipline and their box-kicking game. We gave away too many 50-50 bouncing balls there and let them off the hook with penalties in the middle of the field.

"You set those pressure traps in the game, which we did well, kicked well in the middle third of the field, competed well and then one foot offside and they're back down in the bottom corner, so those moments are massive.

"Of course they're frustrating and, if we keep doing that, if we keep that in the game, then it allows quality teams like this just to get over the line."

Exeter: Cordero; O'Flaherty, Whitten, Devoto, Woodburn; J Simmonds, Maunder, Moon, Yeandle (capt), Williams, Armand, Skinner, Ewers, Kirsten, S Simmonds.

Replacements: Innard, Hepburn, Street, Witty, Capstick, Hidalgo-Clyne, Walsh, Hendrickson.

Bath: de Glanville; McConnochie, Redpath, Matavesi, Cokanasiga; Priestland, Spencer; Obano, Dunn, Thomas, McNally, Ewels (capt), Williams, Bayliss, Mercer.

Replacements: Walker, Boyce, Judge, Stooke, Reid, Chudley, Clark, Rokoduguni.

Sin Bin: McNally (62).

Referee: Christophe Ridley.