Leeds buried at Sandy Park
Leeds are still searching for their first win of the Aviva Premiership season after going down 15-9 to Exeter at Sandy Park.
Last Updated: 20/11/10 6:12pm
Leeds are still searching for their first win of the Aviva Premiership season after going down 15-9 to surprise package Exeter at Sandy Park.
Ryan Davis kicked five penalties from six attempts to help the Chiefs secure back-to-back league wins, leaving them in the middle of the table.
In contrast Leeds remain rooted to the bottom despite claiming a losing bonus point on their travels - meaning they now have a rather disappointing tally of three to their name for the campaign so far.
Fly-half Ceiron Thomas kicked all their points but the visitors found it tough going without absent England duo Steve Thompson and Hendre Fourie.
History lesson
They did at least make the long journey south with history on their side - Leeds had won the previous two meetings of the sides when they were both in the old National Division One.
However the Yorkshiremen found themselves on the back foot with Exeter quickly going 6-0 ahead thanks to a pair of penalties from fly-half Davis.
It took Leeds until midway through the first period just to launch a meaningful attack; centre Henry Fa'afili stopped close to the line after the ball had been worked out wide to the rugby league convert.
Ceiron Thomas saw a penalty attempt hit the left upright before finally putting the visitors on the board just before the break following a late tackle by Exeter winger Mark Foster on Leeds full-back Michael Stephenson.
Glorious chance
Despite phase after phase in attack at the start of the second half, Leeds ended up having to settle for only a second Thomas penalty to level the scores at six apiece.
Exeter, though, responded with a penalty of their own from Davis to put his team ahead again, albeit that Thomas missed the chance to respond for Leeds when his penalty attempt five minutes later was off target.
A collapsed scrum after three attempts gifted Davis the chance to boot the Chiefs further ahead and his fifth penalty with 10 minutes to go left Carnegie with too much to do.
Thomas did knock over a long range penalty to earn Leeds a point that offers a tiny crumb of comfort after an eighth straight Premiership defeat.
