Chiefs savour Sinclair’s late show

By SAM BYTHEWAY

L'ghborough …19pts

Tries: Wassell 35, Treder 63, Penalty 75

Conversions: Rowland 36

Exeter Chiefs ..27pts

Tries: Allen 11, Tessier 22, Sinclair 43, 80; Menin 71

Conversions: Cantorna 23

EXETER bounced back from defeat to Hartpury last weekend with a tense victory at Franklin's Gardens. Despite being down to 13 players, Chiefs secured the win when Eilidh Sinclair scored her second try in the final minute.

Scrum-half Brooke Bradley said: “It was really important to push on after last week to get that win before Christmas. We sort of lost ourselves in the second-half, it was intense – but kudos to the girls for getting over the line.”

The opening stages saw some sloppy handling with both sides struggling to grasp any momeuntum, but it was the visitors who got the opening score when a powerful driving maul set up flanker Maisy Allen to crash over.

Chiefs continued to push the defence and were rewarded with a second try after Canadian fly-half Alex Tessier put in a smart kick behind the Lightning defence before collecting to score.

It was then Loughborough's turn to dominate the attacking phases and they soon crossed for a try when Scottish international Emma Wassell drove over from close range to send Lightning into halftime with the momentum.

With Susie Appleby's team talk still ringing in their ears, Exeter started the second period with a bang, adding a third try just three minutes into the half with Sinclair diving over in the corner after a strong period of phases.

Just as in the first half, Loughborough's response to a Chiefs try was outstanding and they again continued to cause Exeter significant issues.

A succession of penalties against the Chiefs brought Lightning strong field position and they capitalised with a second try as hooker Kathryn Treder latched onto the back of a driving maul to dot down.

With the scoreline narrowing, Exeter's experience dragged them further ahead when Daleaka Menin crashed over for her side's bonus-point try.

As the clocked ticked into the final minutes, the game exploded into madness when Chiefs Mairi McDonald saw yellow for a deliberate knock-on, allowing Lightning to kick to the corner. The subsequent driving maul was pulled down illegally and with a penalty try awarded and a yellow card shown to Menin, the gap was narrowed – but Sinclair's late try saw Exeter home.