Sims enjoys his torrid homecoming

Gloucester 35 Exeter 6

Exeter Chiefs may have lost but that was to be expected. They are third in the First Divison behind the two promotion hopefuls, Rotherham and Worcester, and Gloucester are top of the Zurich Premiership. Already that made it a mismatch, but add in home advantage to the Cherry and Whites and a trouncing was a real possibility.

The parochial Kingsholm crowd is a daunting proposition for seasoned internationals, so the part-timers from Devon were expected to be overawed and outclassed. They may have been the latter but they certainly were not the former. Led by an old Shed favourite, Dave Sims, they forced Gloucester to wear them down and the fact that the victory was a process that better talent, fitness and muscle dictated rather than a walkover is testament to their resilience and hard work.

Exeter's efforts were similar, no doubt, to those they made in the 27-0 defeat by Leicester at the same stage of the tournament last season. Welford Road one year and Kingsholm the next; the Powergen Cup has granted Exeter wonderful experiences and challenges in the past couple of years, although the rigours of the professional season mean that some star names are rested against them.

Phil Vickery and Olivier Azam were missing from the Gloucester front row, Clive Stuart-Smith and Simon Amor deputised for the regular half-back pairing of Andy Gomarsall and Ludovic Mercier, while Junior Paramore and Marcel Garvey warmed the bench, in case of mishap.

Three unanswered first-half tries ensured there were none although Garvey, like a racehorse, was given a 20-minute workout at the end. Chris Catling, Jake Boer and Peter Buxton were the scorers, the second coming from a catch and drive that Exeter nearly replicated in the 40th minute. Already they had forced the Gloucester pack into stopping a rumbling maul illegally and, rather than kick at goal, they tried to out-muscle the strongmen of the West Country, and right in front of the Shed as well. Still smarting from losing the pre-match tug-of war, the Shed roared as first Exeter made yards and then lost them as Gloucester reorganised. This is rugby how they like it in Gloucester, a battle up front.

Indeed, another desperate rearguard action early in the second half could have brought a yellow card against Gloucester and a glimmer of deserved hope for Exeter. Tony Yapp had kicked a penalty, Exeter were enjoying their best spell of the match and, however superior Gloucester had been – albeit only in patches – they probably would not have been if they had been reduced to 14 men.

Yapp kicked another penalty in the 55th minute but two more scores in the 57th and 76th minutes, by Darren O'Leary and Catling, re-established Gloucester's lead. Their dominance was hindered by the rustiness of some players, but Amor had enough talent to suggest he may have a part to play in the season. His style is more frenetic that Mercier's, with more darting runs and playing nearer the gain-line, but he could be a perfect foil for the Frenchman.

"Pity about the weather for him but he is a very good rugby player and could change a game for us when we bring him on," admitted Nigel Melville, Gloucester's director of rugby. "I thought Jake Boer and Terry Fanolua were excellent today, particularly in their leadership."

Boer merely continued with his excellent form. He supports the runners and is often first to the breakdown, seems to live on Tom Beim's shoulder out left and marshals the defensive line well.

The forwards, however, did not display the attributes of a Gloucester pack. The muscle and power were present, just not well organised. Roughed up by Perpignan and below par against Exeter – if this continues, the Shed will really have something to shout about.

Gloucester: C Catling; D O'Leary (Garvey, 59), T Fanolua, H Paul, T Beim; S Amor, C Stuart-Smith; R Roncero (Molloy, 40), C Collins (Caves, 40), A Deacon, R Fidler, M Cornwell (Pearce 55), J Boer, P Buxton, J Forrester.

Exeter: B Thompson (Bunny, 61); E Lewsey, A Murdoch, S Ward, P Tretherway; T Yapp, R John (Sanders, 53); A Ozdemir, K Brooking (Blyth, 40), P Sluman (Hobson, 51), D Sims (Harris, 72), I Brown, G Willis (Cole, 64), C Hanson (Etheridge, 28), R Baxter.

Referee: M Fox.