ROB Baxter cut a frustrated figure as he reflected on Exeter Chiefs’ unconvincing win over Northampton Saints, admitting the 42-14 victory did little to lift the dark cloud currently hanging over Sandy Park.

The relief of ending a miserable run was tempered by a performance that lacked many of the trademark ingredients that once defined his all-conquering side.

Just two weeks removed from a record Premiership mauling at Gloucester - a 79-12 humiliation that sent significant shockwaves through the club - the Chiefs were expected to respond with fire. Instead, they laboured through a stop-start contest that just delivered the right result.

For Baxter, the cracks remain all too visible, and the mood within the camp appears far from celebratory despite the much-needed four points.

“I am not going to give the lads an easy way out and say, ‘Well done, five-point win, hallelujah, all our problems are solved,’” Baxter said. “I have gone in there and said: ‘Guys, that is a regulation win against a Premiership second team and we have a lot to work on.’

“We have to get back to the core fundamental strengths we built the team on. That we don’t beat ourselves first. If you don’t beat yourself it takes a good team to beat you. We are beating ourselves in so many areas of the game at the moment that we have got to change that.”

Whilst the Chiefs were left searching for answers in the wake of their humbling at Kingsholm, the Saints arrived in town still riding a wave of euphoria following their shock semi-final victory over Leinster in the Champions Cup the previous week.

Whereas Baxter had to go full-bore in terms of selections, opposite number Phil Dowson was able to parade a youthful Saints outfit, a number of them experiencing Premiership outings for the first time in their fledgling careers.

The Chiefs, not surprisingly, were on a hiding to nothing. Win - and it was to be expected - but to lose and yet more questions would have been posed following a turbulent fortnight in which former head coach Rob Hunter has departed the club permanently, his predecessor Ali Hepher remains suspended, and Baxter himself has returned to full frontline coaching duties.

Northampton’s mix-and-match selection did much better than the final scoreline would suggest, but the Chiefs were often the creators of their own downfall, producing a performance that coughed up way too many errors in the grand scheme of things.

Baxter has promised to dive deep into the various issues he believes are hindering his side’s development. No stone will be left unturned in the complete review process at every level.

“I’ll do it myself - and I’ll get it right,” he said defiantly. “Then, next season, it’ll be on me if it’s not. By the time we start pre‑season, I will have reviewed every bit: strength and conditioning, physio, everything. And, if it’s not absolutely top notch, we’ll be changing it.

“They’re professional rugby players, I expect more from them. I’ve told them they’re going to hear the same message from me until these things change. There are things that aren’t acceptable. Professional rugby players do need to be able to pass the ball to someone who’s five metres away. That is not being harsh on a player. That’s an expectation they should have of each other. It shouldn’t be me having to enforce that but at the moment it’s going to be.”

Despite the obvious concerns right now, there remains a great deal of hope and that was underlined when debutant Nick Lilley broke the game’s deadlock, racing over for his maiden score following a pass from Josh Hodge.

Northampton countered not long after, making the most of a yellow card for Exeter centre Will Rigg, to work the opening for Jake Garside to find his way over from close range.

However, two tries just before the break gave the Chiefs the breathing space they required after a somewhat edgy first period. Harvey Skinner grabbed the first, intercepting on halfway to race in unopposed, then Paul Brown-Bampoe weaved his way to the line from a similar distance.

The Saints countered early in the second half through Tom Lockett to leave just a score in it. However, hopes of a further revival were doused as the Chiefs wrapped things up in the final quarter with further scores from Martin Moloney, Brown-Bampoe and Skinner.

Exeter Chiefs J Hodge; N Lilley, H Slade (W Haydon-Wood 78mins), W Rigg (T Tua 50), P Brown-Bampoe; H Skinner, S Townsend (T Cairns 52); S Sio (K Blose 21), J Yeandle (D Frost 52), M Street (J Iosefa-Scott 46); R Tuima (C Tshiunza 62), D Jenkins (capt); J Vermeulen (M Moloney 52), R Capstick, E Roots.

Tries - Lilley, Brown-Bampoe (2), Skinner (2), Moloney; Conversions - Slade (5), Hodge;

Yellow Card: Rigg

Northampton Saints J Garside; T Cousins, T Seabrook (R Logan 78), T Litchfield, W Glister (R Witheat 68); T James (E Baker 52), J Weimann; T West (T Haffar 23), H Walker (C Wright ht), E Millar-Mills (L Green ht); E Prowse, C Munga; T Lockett (capt, C Hunter-Hill 60), F Brown, A Scott-Young (A Benson 69).

Tries: Garside, Lockett; Conversions: James (2)

Referee: K Dickson