Gloucester 38-22 Exeter Chiefs: home side claim fourth consecutive Premiership win

Scrum-half Chapman secured the try-scoring bonus point for Gloucester

Gloucester won their fourth Premiership match in a row as they beat Exeter 38-22 in front of a sold-out Kingsholm.

Charlie Chapman and Ruan Ackermann pushed Gloucester 14 points clear but Josh Hodge reduced the deficit.

Lewis Ludlow's late try then wrapped up the victory three minutes from time.

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Kick-off came less than two hours after it was confirmed that Wasps have been suspended from the Premiership and relegated, meaning their results from this season have been expunged.

The teams therefore started the match level on points and during a closely-fought first half the scoreline never expanded beyond five points.

Harvey Skinner kicked a penalty to put the visitors ahead, before Carreras charged down an Exeter kick to unleash a trademark Rees-Zammit run, from which the Welshman touched down in the corner.

Maunder pushed Exeter in front, stretching over from close range, yet Exeter failed to take advantage of the spell of possession and territory that followed as Gloucester held firm.

Rees-Zammit was key to the Gloucester attack, repeatedly running lines and while he fell centimetres short after being picked out by a cross-field kick, the ball was recycled and Carreras went over.

Again Exeter hit back, this time through Van Heerden, as Gloucester missed tackles and allowed the second rower an opening. Still, their lead was short-lived with a third try in seven minutes, as Socino went over from a driving maul.

A Lloyd Evans dummy helped to release Carreras as the second half began, allowing Chapman to finally open up some daylight for Gloucester.

Gradually, they began winning more of the physical battle as Exeter searched for ideas. Ackermann grabbed the rewards, widening the margin further by powering over.

Gloucester's ascendancy was stunted when Albert Tuise was sent to the bin for a maul infringement, and Exeter made their numbers pay through Hodge who easily ran over on the right.

Yet the night belonged to Gloucester, who have lost only once at home since January. Rees-Zammit tucked an underarm pass to captain Ludlow, who soaked up the roar from The Shed as he swan-dived over for his first try of the season.

Gloucester: Evans; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Kveseladze, Carreras; Hastings, Chapman; Elrington, Socino, Balmain, Clarke, Jordan, Ackermann, Ludlow (capt), Morgan.

Replacements: Walker, Knight, Gotovtsev, Alemanno, Tuisue, Meehan, Reeves, Seabrook.

Sin bin: Albert Tuisue (63 mins)

Exeter: Hogg; Hodge, O'Loughlin, Whitten, Woodburn; Skinner, J Maunder; Sio, Yeandle (capt), Williams, Van Heerden, Gray, Ewers, Pearson, Vermeulen.

Replacements: Innard, Hepburn, Iosefa-Scott, Dunne, Tshiunza, S Maunder, Simmonds, John.

Sin bin: Whitten (69 mins)

Referee: Adam Leal.

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