The Welsh club hardly had time to work up a sweat at Sandy Park before they found themselves seven points adrift, centre Ian Whitten crossing for the first try after just three minutes and Gareth Steenson adding the conversion.

The outside half added a penalty and although that score was promptly cancelled out by opposite number Aled Thomas the Chiefs struck again with the ball in hand with hooker Simon Alcott going over as the home side scored at a point a minute in an all-action opening.

Not that all the action was of the scoring nature as Wales wing Liam Williams was yellow carded after a mere six minutes and Exeter’s James Hanks followed him into the sin bin 15 minutes later, Thomas on target with his second penalty while they had the man advantage.

And anything one hooker can do, so can his opposite number was the scenario as Ken Owens crashed over for the Scarlets and suddenly the Chiefs’ advantage had been cut to four points.

Steenson – who scored 17 points a week earlier at Parc y Scarlets – made it another 10 before the break with his second penalty but it was the Welsh club who came out of the second half starting blocks the better.

Centre Scott Williams raced over for their second try and Thomas’ conversion levelled matters only for Steenson to nudge the Chiefs ahead again with his third penalty.

And they even denied the Scarlets the reward of a losing bonus point, flanker James Scaysbrook’s pick and go in the dying moments producing their final try with Steenson’s conversion leaving the Scarlets empty handed.