Bath winger Tom Biggs scored a hat-trick of tries as Exeter Chiefs suffered their first defeat in five matches in their final LV= Cup pool game.

Former Leeds and England Saxons flyer Biggs grabbed his impressive treble in 25 first-half minutes as Bath breezed into the semi-finals.

More disappointing than the home loss for Exeter, though, was a worrying 58th-minute leg injury for skipper-for-the-day James Hanks, with the lock having only returned from a knee problem against Wasps the previous week after a near three-month lay-off.

The result of the match was academic for Exeter, in terms of semi-final qualification, as Northampton had confirmed their position as Pool Four winners a day earlier by demolishing Wasps, and, with one eye on next Saturday's crunch Aviva Premiership home game with Leicester Tigers, Exeter head coach Rob Baxter left out most of his big guns.

Teenage Academy back Jack Arnott was handed his first senior start, Chris Budgen and birthday boy Junior Poluleuligaga made their first starts of the season, and back-row forward Chad Slade returned after more than two months out through a knee injury.

Bath, however, needed a point to book their place in the last four as Pool One winners, and named a near full-strength line-up, including a glittering array of internationals.

That quality was evident as early as the seventh minute when they moved the ball quickly from a breakdown on the right, full-back Sam Vesty played a delightful grubber kick through the defence, and Biggs appeared to be tackled without the ball by Exeter centre Bryan Rennie as he raced through.

Referee Neil Hennessy referred the matter to television match official Tony Spreadbury, and after a long wait, he deemed Biggs had grounded the ball, rather than awarding a penalty try, and former Wadebridge School pupil Olly Barkley slotted a fine conversion to make it 7-0 to the visitors.

Spreadbury was called upon for another tough decision five minutes later when 18-year-old Exeter centre Sam Hill hacked on a charge down of an attempted clearance kick, but television replays showed Bath winger Olly Woodburn had done brilliantly to marginally get to the touchdown ahead of the teenager.

Exeter had another opportunity for points midway through the half when Bath were penalised for not releasing in the tackle, but fly-half Myles Dorrian was off target with his 40-metre effort.

Another grubber kick, this time by New Zealand's World Cup final fly-half Stephen Donald, prised open Exeter's defence again in the 22nd minute, with 27-year-old Biggs racing clear to pick up the ball and dot down for his second try, but Barkley's conversion attempt was wayward.

Exeter finally opened their account in the 26th minute, with a Dorrian penalty, but, five minutes later, Biggs completed his hat-trick.

Dorrian telegraphed his pass out to the right wing, and the blond-haired Biggs gratefully intercepted and raced 70 metres to score, with Barkley converting for a 19-3 interval lead.

Exeter also lost full-back Phil Dollman to injury before the half was out. He was replaced by winger Matt Jess, with Mark Foster switching to the number 15 position.

Exeter were determined not to end their Cup campaign with a whimper, and enjoyed a period of intense pressure on the Bath line early in the second half, with No.8 Slade stopped just short of the whitewash, but the visitors had strayed offside.

The hosts opted for the scrum five metres out, but then infringed after winning possession, and the chance to score a try went begging.

The Chiefs lost hooker Chris Whitehead to the sin-bin in the 53rd minute when he committed a professional foul close to his own line after a mistake by a team-mate had put Exeter under unnecessary pressure.

Bath failed to capitalise from the resultant penalty, but wonderfully slick hands soon after saw Woodburn cut inside the last defender to score his side's bonus-point fourth try.

Barkley saw his conversion kick shave the outside of the far post, but the visitors were out of sight at 24-3.

With 11 minutes left, Exeter brought on Academy quartet Ben Rogers, Sam Blanchet, Tom Cowan-Dickie and James Lightfoot-Brown for their first-team debuts – an occasion they are unlikely to forget.

Rennie then became the second Exeter player to be sin-binned in the game with five minutes remaining, and Bath almost instantly made the most of their extra man, but replacement winger Richard Lane was adjudged to have put a foot in touch as he skated over in the right-hand corner.

However, Exeter's reprieve was short-lived as replacement flanker Josh Ovens forced his way over, and Barkley converted.

Exeter Chiefs: Dollman (Jess 36); Arnott (Lightfoot-Brown 69), Rennie, Hill, Foster; Dorrian, Poluleuligaga (Phibbs 51); Moon (Rogers 69), Whitehead (T Cowan-Dickie 70), Budgen (Fairbrother 61); Short, Hanks (capt) (Bentley 58); Ewers, White (Blanchet 69), Slade (T Cowan-Dickie 53-63).

Scorer: Penalty – Dorrian.

Yellow cards: Whitehead 53, Rennie 75.

Bath: Vesty; Woodburn, Banahan, Barkley, Biggs (Lane 65); Donald (Scott ht-41, 55), Cook (Fury 55); Flatman (Catt 53), Mears (Dixon ht), Perenise (Wilson 53, Perenise 78); Attwood, Skirving; Louw (capt) (Ovens 53), Mercer, Taylor. Replacement (not used): Caldwell.

Scorers: Try – Biggs (3), Woodburn, Ovens; Conversions – Barkley (3).

Referee: N Hennessy (WRU).

Attendance: 5,557.

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