Exeter Braves 19 Gloucester Utd 15

As it was, it was the Braves who were quickest out of the traps in this latest match-up. Just four minutes had elapsed when they broke the deadlock, young prop Kenny the man credited with dotting down from a well-drilled catch-and-drive move just five metres out.

It was the perfect start for the Braves, but when Devoto was penalised for a high tackle in midfield, it allowed the visitors to gain crucial territoy deep inside the Exeter 22.

Although the home side did well to repel the initial Gloucester thrust off the subsequent line-out, the visitors masterfully worked the ball from right to left, creating space out wide for Halaifonua to barge his way over the home line.

With little to choose between either side at that stage, it was the Braves who slowly started to get a strangehold on proceedings. Joe Simmonds' boomiming kick to the corner off a penalty allowed the 'Men in Black' to set up camp deep behind enemy lines.

Josh Caulfield was thrust into the air to claim the line-out and when he was eventually brought down to the ground, his fellow forwards moulded themselves around him, creating the opening for Malton to burrow his way over for the score, which Simmonds duly converted.

As half time approached, Gloucester suffered further woes as first Hinkley was shown yellow by referee Charlie Gayter for persistent infringing, then team-mate Gareth Denman followed suit when he was deemed to have taken Tom Lawday out in the air as he tried to claim another close range line-out.

Using the numerical advantage, the Braves opted for a scrum and when push came to shove, the visiting pack crumbled into a mass of bodies and Gayter preceded to run in under the sticks for a penalty try.

As replacements aplenty started to appear from both sides, so the game started to break up and become somewhat of a stop-start affair.

The Braves momentarily countered when Stuart Townsend caught the visitors napping with a quickly taken penalty, but when he eventually released Tom O'Flaherty wide on the right, the Exeter winger was bundled into touch with the try-line firmly in his sights.

Gloucester - now ball to full stock again - knew they had to up their game if they were to salvage anything from their Sunday trip down the M5. Skipper Charlie Beckett was leading their charge with some notable carries, while behind the visiting backs often looked threatening when given the chance.

Knowing they needed to strike sooner rather than later, Gloucester threw caution to the wind and with 12 minutes remaining they gave themselves a lifeline when, following a sustained period of pressure inside the Exeter 22, they scored their third of the afternoon through Hinkley.

Now with the bit between their teeth, the visitors sensed they could be the first club to inflict a defeat on the Braves this season. As they continued to push forward in attack, so the Braves started to scramble in defence. Initially all seemed fine for the home side, but when Owlett was shown yellow with just over two minutes remaining, Gloucester sensed an opportunity to strike.

The Braves, though, were having none of it as they defiantly held firm. Townsend produced two impressive turnovers, the latter of which won a penalty, to keep them at bay.

Even then, a loose line-out from the hosts gave Gloucester one final chance with the last play of the game. However, the visitors couldn't grasp the moment, spilling the ball in contact.