CHIEFS IN COMMAND AT MOSE; Seven-try thumping for Billesley boys.

Byline: BRIAN DICK

IAN Smith insists Moseley must take the positives from a heavy defeat in their first Championship game.

The Billesley Boys leaked seven tries in all and trailed 50-6 before mounting a come back in the last ten minutes.

Nathan Bressington scored two and Wales international Andy Williams grabbed one as Mose added 19 unanswered points. But even that could not mask the difference between two teams who seem destined to spend the season with contrasting objectives.

Exeter will hope this victory sends a message to promotion favourites Bristol while Mose must work hard to make sure they do not get dragged into a fight in the bottom four.

"You could see Exeter are in a totally different place to us. They are a good side and will do well," said the head coach.

"We had a lot of new faces and had not been together long in crucial positions, two training sessions is not enough time at this level."

Among the 12 players making their debut for Mose was scrum half Williams who played well as did Worcester loan player David Lyons.

Indeed Williams' score, after a break by South African new boy Andy Borgen, set in motion a spirited rearguard action.

And that pleased Smith.

Ethic "Undoubtedly we have got some very good players, what we need now is the team ethic to come through," he said.

"I thought they would finish stronger but it was us who did.

"I am very positive about how we stuck at it.

"Our fluidity came together at the end and we scored some good tries.

"That was the main thing - that we didn't drop off.

"We showed our character and didn't give up or lose track of what we were trying to do."

But in truth Exeter blew Mose away with a first half onslaught that produced a try bonus inside half an hour. Tristan Roberts kicked an early penalty to give the hosts the lead but it was soon irrelevant.

Full back Emyr Lewis was allowed to slip through weak tackling and stretch over in the corner for the first try after six minutes.

And soon after Brett Sturgess rumbled across the line after a break by Gareth Steenson and James Hanks. Roberts responded with a second three-pointer to make it 14-6 only for Ex to hit a purple patch for ten minutes.

Steenson kicked his own penalty, then converted a penalty try as Mose struggled at a 5m scrum. Tighthead Hoani Tui then bashed through Andy Hall to secure the bonus point.

Things weren't much better after the break as Matt Jess took James Scaysbrook's off-load and raced home from 40m.

Then on the hour former Mose wing Mark Foster capitalised on Jess' break to stroll over by the flag.

When Neil Clark thundered over with 13 to go Steenson's conversion brought up the half century.

That seemed to inspire the home team.

Roberts redirected the play and Borgen jinked his way towards the line. Felled by the last man he popped up for Williams to stroll over for a debut score.

With their tails up Bressington made Lewis pay for not gathering a loose ball when he prodded through and gathered a kind bounce.

And with four minutes to go Hall released Dan Oselton and the hooker passed inside for Bressington to scorch clear and grab his second.

But it was too little too late and Mose cannot afford to start as slowly when they travel down to the Cornish Pirates next Sunday.

SCORERS: Moseley - tries: Bressington (2), Williams; conversions: Roberts (2); penalties: Roberts (2).

Exeter - tries: Lewis, Sturgess, penalty try, Tui, Jess, Foster, Clark; conversions: Steenson (6); penalty: Steenson.

CAPTION(S):

OFF-LOAD: Moseley tryscorer Andy Williams (right) SKY HIGH: Moseley's Andrew Hall goes up against James Scaysbrook in the lineout HALL OR NOTHING: Andrew Hall charges forward BRUTE FORCE: Allistair Muldowney runs with the ball