Sarries dig in at Sandy Park
Reigning Aviva Premiership champions Saracens remain perfect on the road after a 17-13 victory over Exeter Chiefs.
Last Updated: 01/10/11 6:12pm
Reigning Aviva Premiership champions Saracens maintained their unbeaten record on the road with a 17-13 victory over Exeter.
Owen Farrell and Charlie Hodgson both scored tries as the visitors made it four wins from five at the start of the new league campaign.
However Exeter kept battling until the final whistle in search of a losing bonus point, their hard work being rewarded with a late try from Richard Baxter that was successfully converted by Ignacio Mieres.
Their efforts were even more impressive considering flanker James Scaysbrook went off injured and, with replacement prop Alan Paver also off, the hosts continued with seven players in the pack and uncontested scrums.
Burst through
Saracens had led 10-6 at the break, Farrell opening the scoring after just four minutes when he burst through to the line, Hodgson adding the extras.
Mieres was just short and wide with a penalty attempt from just inside his own half soon after but the Argentine made no mistake with his next effort.
Farrell, who took over the kicking duties from a slightly dazed Hodgson, landed a 35-metre penalty to move the away team into double figures.
However the Chiefs remained in touch thanks to a second Mieres penalty, with their opponents penalised by referee JP Doyle after their front row had stood up twice at a 22-metre scrum.
Gap
The lead would have been greater had Farrell not missed a late penalty before the interval, but the four-point margin remained until 59 minutes.
Saracens opted to kick a penalty to the right corner and when the ball was worked into midfield Exeter centre Jason Shoemark came out of the line, allowing a fully-recovered Hodgson to go through the gap and slide over.
The former Sale Shark also knocked over the conversion to give Sarries a comfortable cushion, though they could not stop their line being breached.
They looked to have escaped when replacement wing Bryan Rennie lacked support after gathering his own chip ahead, but Exeter simply refused to give in.
They left it late, though, as Baxter forced his way over in the final minute of the match after seeing team-mate Kevin Barrett stopped just short. Mieres held his nerve with the conversion to make sure the Chiefs got something from the game.
