IT was a performance full of endeavour from Worcester Warriors but they came up short against Exeter Chiefs in their first home game of the Premiership season.

Chiefs scored three tries in the first-half including a brace from number eight Richard Capstick and one from Joe Simmonds, with Alex Hearle's score providing the points for Worcester.

Gareth Simpson's score at the start of the second-half gave Warriors hope and despite another from Ollie Lawrence, Olly Woodburn and Jack Maunder touched down to give the Chiefs a bonus-point victory.

This was a game that might not even have gone ahead had it not been for the club's staff agreeing to work without payment as the financial issues at Warriors remain unresolved.

A brilliant reception and a perfectly observed minute's silence as a mark of respect for Queen Elizabeth set the tone for the game but it was an opening ten minutes to forget for Warriors as Exeter raced out of the traps.

Exeter full-back Simmonds raced over after just two minutes as Chiefs found Warriors defending far too narrowly.

Murray McCallum was then sent to the bin soon afterwards for his high hit on Simmonds as Warriors were reduced to 14 men.

But the hosts defended firmly thereafter and kept the visitors out right until the last play of being down to 14 as number eight Capstick scored his first of the afternoon to make it 0-12.

Warriors showed plenty of fight throughout and with one of their first attacks into the Exeter half they came away with a try as Lawrence's twinkling feet set-up Hearle's try.

The joy was short lived though as missed tackled led to Capstick scoring a second in the corner.

Unlike the first, it was was the hosts who made the fast start in the second-half and a barnstorming run from second-row Joe Batley broke through the Exeter midfield and scrum-half Simpson was on the big man's shoulder to scoot in under the posts.

At 14-22 they were back in it but as time wore on, the tiredness started to creep in and Exeter took advantage.

Initially the visitors were denied a try for double movement but then winger Woodburn scored the bonus-point score with just over 20 minutes to play.

Warriors refused to lie down and they forced their way back into the game once again as a penalty in the corner enabled them to execute a set-piece move to perfection and Lawrence crashed over the line.

There was plenty of endeavour from Worcester but a misfiring lineout continued to hinder them and eventually they were made to pay.

Exeter turned them around after an overthrow at the lineout and a penalty was kicked to the corner before Maunder eventually scampered over the line.

Worcester pushed for a bonus-point late on but they came up short in the end.