Two for Tommy as defiant Saints edge out Exeter

Freeman dived over for a key try in both halves and Saints showed great resilience as they backed up the previous week's win against Bristol Bears with another crucial victory.

Exeter had gone ahead early on thanks to a Ruben van Heerden try, but Saints kept fighting and they were able to respond before the break thanks to Freeman's quick thinking.

Saints continued to push on after half-time, with Fin Smith continuing his superb start from the tee at the Gardens.

Exeter got back in the game from 16-7 down as Saints presented them with a couple of gifts, one of which was a charge-down, from which Joe Simmonds scored.

But Phil Dowson's side refused to be defeated after falling 19-16 down, and Freeman's try, along with Smith's boot made sure of the four points.

Saints had gone into the game hoping for a better start than they endured against Bristol six days earlier, but it wasn't to be.

Referee Craig Maxwell-Keys missed an offence at the breakdown before Freeman unfortunately kicked the ball dead, giving Exeter a scrum, from which they won a penalty.

And the Chiefs showed their patience as they put together an attack that ended with lock Van Heerden powering over.

Simmonds converted, but Exeter lost centre Ian Whitten to injury and were forced into an early change.

The early stages were a real kick battle, with running rugby in really short supply.

Saints won a penalty close to halfway and opted to go for goal, with Smith slotting it superbly.

There were few signs of life until Ollie Sleightholme hunted down a Fraser Dingwall grubber, only to be forced to knock on at the last by an excellent tackle from Jack Maunder.

Exeter were bossing the scrum battle, winning two early penalties, but Saints were starting to threaten with ball in hand.

And after Dingwall placed a clever grubber, Saints hunted it down to win a penalty, which Freeman took quickly and used to score.

Smith kicked the conversion superbly from the touchline, and Saints led 10-7.

It was a tight and tense game, with Exeter trying to suck the life out it it, their tactics bringing boos from the home crowd on numerous occasions.

Exeter were forced into a couple of changes at half-time as captain Jack Yeandle and wing Olly Woodburn had to be withdrawn.

After Mike Haywood made a brilliant break, Saints stretched their lead with a Smith penalty given for a clear Exeter offside that should have resulted in a yellow card for the away side.

Smith soon notched another penalty after Saints won a scrum penalty from an Exeter put-in.

Aaron Hinkley had to take a 10-minute breather with 27 minutes to go after he was sin-binned for head-on-head contact, which was looked at for a long time by the officials.

Exeter were struggling to find openings, but they were given a gift when Saints failed with a lineout in their own 22.

The Chiefs kept their patience and eventually sent Simmonds over, but the fly-half couldn't add the conversion to leave the gap at four points.

Saints were giving the away side gifts though and after losing another lineout, this time in the Exeter 22, Dingwall saw his chip charged down by Simmonds, who raced in to score.

Simmonds added the conversion and, out of nowhere, Exeter had turned the game around.

Freeman did some fine work to help Saints level, winning a breakdown penalty close to the Exeter line after a kick was charged down. Smith slotted the kick.

It was shaping up to be a nervy final 13 minutes and Saints were up for it, winning a penalty with some ferocious counter-rucking.

That helped them gain key field position and after working the maul, they unleashed Alex Mitchell, who drew his man before giving the ever-aware Freeman the score.

Smith did superbly with the conversion, landing it from the touchline to give his side a seven-point lead with seven minutes to go.

Smith was forced off with an injury, meaning Saints had to bring hooker Robbie Smith on, on the wing.

But it wasn't to matter as Saints continued to win penalties in the Exeter half, giving George Furbank a chance to finish the game with a last-gasp penalty.

Furbank sent it wide and Exeter were able to restart, but the impressive Lukhan Salakaia-Loto pouched the ball in the air and Mitchell booted the ball out to seal the win on his 100th Saints appearance.

Saints: Freeman; Skosan, Dingwall (c), Hutchinson (Proctor , Sleightholme (Furbank 32); F Smith (R Smith 76), James (Mitchell 46); Iyogun (A Waller 52), Haywood, Painter (Hill 52); Salakaia-Loto, Moon; Scott-Young, Hinkley, Graham.

Exeter Chiefs: Hodge; John, O'Loughlin, Whitten (O'Brien 10), Woodburn (Becconsall 40); J Simmonds, J Maunder (S Maunder 55); Sio (Hepburn 53), Yeandle (c) (Innard 40), Williams (Iosefa-Scott 69); Dunne (Jenkins 49), van Heerden; Ewers, Pearson, Vermeulen.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys