THE FUSE

Exeter boss Rob Baxter says his side's Prem play-off hopes are far from over despite their 8-3 defeat at home by Bristol.

The loss - in difficult weather conditions at Sandy Park - was Exeter's third league defeat of the season and meant they slipped to fifth place.

They are a point off fourth-placed Leicester while Bristol have leapfrogged Exeter into third position.

"We have done very well to get in and around and be competitive where we are now - now we've got to just keep getting better," Baxter told BBC Radio Devon.

"That's just going to be the challenge for me going forward, let's just keep getting better."

Having finished second-from-bottom last season, the Chiefs have been one of the league's most impressive sides this campaign.

Bristol's win was a first home loss in the league this season for Baxter's side, who now have to wait until 21 March for their next Prem game as the Prem Cup takes over during the Six Nations period.

Exeter will return to league action with a tough home game against Sale before their longest away trip of the season to Newcastle, and then they host champions Northampton after a European Challenge Cup knockout tie against Munster.

"We've got some really important games when we get back out of the Prem Cup," Baxter added.

"They are incredibly exciting fixtures and if we do well out of those games everything's back on for us.

"We're not by any means out of this season - we're going to be scrapping right to the death for a top-four spot and we've got the players who are capable of doing that."