With the wind in their tails, the visitors smelt blood, thundering forward again in numbers, this time resulting in a score for Henry Slade.
The natives were furious with the award, given on review with the TV match official, but it set up a grandstand finale, one which was finally settled when the Chiefs infringed late on, trying to run from deep.
Ethan Roots’s red card for a strike on Jack Innard compounded a disappointing day for them.
Match details
Scoring sequence: 0-5 Vintcent try, 5-5 Llewellyn try, 7-5 Barton con, 12-5 Williams try, 17-5 Llewellyn try, 19-5 Barton con, 19-10 Feyi-Waboso try, 19-12 Slade con, 24-12 Trenholm try, 26-12 Barton con, 26-17 Fisilau try, 26-19 Slade con, 29-19 Barton pen, 34-19 Trenholm try, 34-26 Penalty try, Slade try 34-31.
Gloucester: G Barton; W Joseph, M Llewellyn (O Thorley 40, C Englefield 61, V Rapava-Ruskin 71-79), S Atkinson, B Loader (O Thorley 71); C Atkinson, T Williams (c); V Rapava Ruskin (D Bleuler 68), J Innard, A Fasogbon (N Laulala 78); A Clark (J Clement 65), M Alemmano; F Thomas (J Venter 73), L Ludlow, W Trenholm.
Replacement: G Knowles.
Sin-bin: Bleuler.
Exeter Chiefs: C Ridl; P Brown-Bampoe (B Hammersley 20), H Slade (c), L Ikitau, I Feyi-Waboso; H Skinner (T Cairns 40-41), S Varney; W Goodrick-Clarke (E Burger 40-58, 62), J Dweba (M Norey 40), J Iosefa-Scott (J Roots 40-78); R Tuima, L Pearson (C Tshiunza 51); E Roots (T Hooper 52), R Vintcent (E Roots 63), G Fisilau.
Replacement: F Worley-Brady.
Red Card: E Roots.
Referee: M Carley. Attendance: 12,416.