Sporting ecstasy comes in various forms and Exeter’s first league ­victory in 232 days was clearly a major relief for all associated with the previously winless Chiefs. “Better than sex,” was the instant verdict of Henry Slade on live television and the ­collective roar that greeted the final whistle suggested a few onlookers might have agreed with his breathless assessment.

It mattered not that the Chiefs are still languishing in the lower reaches of the Premiership table or that Gloucester’s director of rugby, George Skivington, described the first half as his team’s worst of the ­season. Here, finally, was some respite from a string of painful defeats and a glimmer of hope that more uplifting times could lie ahead if the attitude and energy that delivered this long‑awaited outcome can be reproduced.

This precious result also elevates them above the bottom-placed ­Newcastle but did not come ­without its anxious moments. The visitors engineered a second-half comeback from 11 points down to lead 15-14 with 18 minutes left and might con­ceivably have held on had Santi ­Carreras not missed a potentially game-turning penalty in the 70th minute. Instead the replacement prop Josh Iosefa‑Scott crashed over for the short-range score that sealed their first league win since May.

Rob Baxter did not go quite as far as Slade – “At my age I don’t know” – but did confirm that the avoidance of a 10th successive league defeat dating back to last season had lifted a certain amount of pressure. “I’m delighted for the supporters,” he said.

“I have obviously felt the pressure … I want the players and the club to feel success. The board have been very supportive … I’ve never had a conversation of ‘Win next week or it’s all over.’ But we needed the win and we’ve got one.”

Baxter also revealed the England wing Manny Feyi-Waboso will have a second scan this week on the shoulder he injured at Sale. It may well threaten his Six Nations availability but, as yet, there is no conclusive diagnosis. Baxter said: “The initial scan did not really show enough detail because there was a lot of swelling. He will have a dye-type scan this week and then decisions will be made.”

In his absence, however, the hosts could not have wished for a better start, an overthrown Cherry and White lineout presenting the unmarked Dan Frost with a post‑Christmas gift. Slade missed the chance to extend the margin with a long-range penalty but swiftly atoned by teeing up the Chiefs’ second try after 17 minutes, a neat cross-kick finding a lurking Tamati Tua wide on the right.

The visitors’ continuing lineout issues also helped, with the out­standing Ethan Roots a constant whirl of activity and Gloucester struggling to spend much time in their opponents’ 22. There would have been a third Exeter try had Richard Capstick not gone for glory with two teammates outside him but the 14-3 half-time scoreline largely reflected the balance of power.

There was more urgency about the Chiefs in defence and attack and clear recognition that going through the same old motions would not be enough. Slade looks to be enjoying his expanded role at 10 but in the back of their minds Exeter would have been recalling the season’s ­opening day when they led Leicester by the same margin in the third quarter and lost 17-14.

Those faint echoes grew in ­volume when Tua threw a telegraphed ball to his right and Gareth Anscombe swooped for a try to puncture any Exeter complacency. There was worse to follow when Jamal Ford‑Robinson muscled his way over the line to put Gloucester in front for the first time and forced the Chiefs to dig even deeper.

There have been occasions this season when their nerve has failed them but not this time. Slade swiftly regained the lead with a penalty and Carreras’s miss further simplified the equation. This time the Chiefs kept their composure and Iosefa-Scott’s final rumble proved the ­saving grace, if not from Skivington’s perspective. “If you are a little bit off your game, you get stung,” he said, ­reflecting on a topsy-turvy weekend of results across the league. “We pride ­ourselves on accurate rugby and it wasn’t there today.”

Exeter will now have to back up this performance at Leicester on Satur­day but at least their win drought is over at last. “Naturally when you lose games on the bounce you lose confidence but the boys have been scrapping and fighting,” Slade said. “There has been a lot of heartache and to come out on the right side makes it all the better because it has taken so long.”