Exeter Chiefs will travel to Leicester in the semi-finals of the LV= Cup after a 35-18 defeat at Saracens this afternoon.
Rob Baxter's men were already through to the last four of the competition they won last season but needed to win at Allianz Park to be at home in the semis.
However, after fighting back from 14-0 down early on to lead 18-14 after 50 minutes, Exeter were undone by a quick salvo from the hosts.
Centre Tim Streather opened the scoring as he charged down Max Bodilly's kick after 15 minutes and dotted down, with Ben Spencer adding the extras.
Flanker Nick de Jager added the first of his two scores eight minutes later and scrum-half Spencer made it 14-0.
Exeter's pack were on the front foot and they went close to opening their account when Tomas Francis went for the line. The TV official was asked to rule if he had crossed, but the pictures were inconclusive.
However, from the resultant scrum, Exeter's pack continued to have the upper hand and, as it twisted, No. 8 Sam Skinner drove over for his second try in two weeks.
Captain Ceri Sweeney converted and also landed a penalty as the Chiefs turned around 14-10 down.
A second pnalty from the former Wales fly-half closed the gap to a point five minutes into the second period.
And Exeter went in front as Tom Johnson drove off the back of a scrum and super fast hands from Dave Lewis gave Tom James the space to cross in the left corner.
Sweeney missed the conversion but two converted tries in five minutes, the first from De Jager and second from winger Catalin Fercu, put Sarries 28-18 up.
With the Londoners on top, flanker Matt Hankin claimed their fifth try, which Spencer also converted.
It got worse for the Chiefs with seven minutes left on the clock as replacement Ben White was sent to the cooler, leaving them a man down for the remainder of the game.
Despite chances for both sides, there were no more scores. But both made it through to the knockout stages in mid-March. Saracens host Northampton in the other last-four tie.
