Exeter may have had a new leader at No.10, but the Chiefs remain winless in this season’s Gallagher Premiership after they lost 19-15 to Bath at the Recreation Ground.

Back from his recent exertions with England in the Autumn Nations Series, Henry Slade was thrust into the playmaker role for his first league start of the season.

However, the gifted playmaker could do little to prevent Rob Baxter’s side from slipping to a seventh successive league defeat.

The visitors, who had slipped to the foot of the table 24 hours earlier following Newcastle’s shock win over Saracens, did their best to contain their Westcountry rivals, but it was not to be and their scant reward was a losing bonus point.

Guy Pepper’s converted try gave Bath a dream start, the flanker powering over from a well-rehearsed line-out move just seven minutes into the contest.

Exeter’s response was impressive and having clawed their way back into contention following a try for skipper Jacques Vermeulen, they actually went in ahead at the break when Slade slotted a penalty with the last action of the first half.

Bath, though, were quickly out of the traps on the resumption and they reclaimed the lead when No.8 Miles Reid stole over from close range.

The Chiefs continued to remain competitive throughout, but found breaking through the home defences a harder proposition than they thought. Even when Bath lost Ben Spencer to the sin-bin, they could not capitalise.

Instead, it was the hosts who extended their lead, replacement Niall Annett claiming a third score, converted by Finn Russell, to put them 19-8 up entering into the last quarter.

With Bath heading back to the top of the table at the expense of near neighbours Bristol Bears, it was the Chiefs who had the final word of the game, No.8 Greg Fisilau powering over for a last-gasp try, which ensured them of a deserved losing bonus point.

Post-game, Chiefs Director of Rugby, Rob Baxter, whose side travel to South Africa this week to kick-off their Champions Cup campaign against the Sharks, said: “I thought we looked very competitive today and that’s what we’ve got to really drive moving forward.

“We’ve definitely rekindled a bit more fight and movement in our game and I can’t fault the players for that. I’ve just said to the lads, I can sit here and talk about the mistakes we made, but that’s a little bit irrelevant at the moment.

“What we’ve got to do, which we did today, is stay in the fight for as long as possible and make things break our way. That didn’t quite happen today, but I’m pretty confident it will in the future.

“Where we are in the season, we need a competitive performance for all types of reasons. Not because we’re going to South Africa, just because it’s where we need to be. We need to be collecting points.”

Bath: T De Glanville; J Cokanasiga, O Lawrence, W Butt (C Redpath 68), W Muir; F Russell, B Spencer (c, L Schreuder 77); T du Toit (K Verden 80), T Dunn (N Annett 62), W Stuart (F van Wyk 62); Q Roux (R Molony 59), C Ewels; T Hill, G Pepper, M Reid (A Barbeary 59, J Bayliss 64).

Tries: Pepper, Reid, Annett; Conversions: Russell (2)

Sin Bin: Hill, Spencer, Lawrence

Chiefs: J Hodge; I Feyi-Waboso, T Tua, W Rigg (B Hammersley 68), T Wyatt; H Slade, S Townsend (W Becconsall 25); S Sio (W Goodrick-Clarke 60), D Frost (J Innard 60), M Street (J Roots 60); R Tuima (F Molina 70), R Capstick; E Roots, J Vermeulen (c, R Vincent 68), G Fisilau. Replacement (not used): W Haydon-Wood.

Tries: Vermeulen, Fisilau; Conversion: Slade; Penalty: Slade

Referee: S Cox

Attendance: 14,509