Exeter Chiefs labour to first away league win of the season at a weakened London Irish Exeter allowed an 18-point lead to be wiped out when Ian Humphreys banged over a long-range penalty 10 minutes into the second half and they required two penalties from Gareth Steenson, the second with just two minutes remaining to ease them home. Exeter lost in similar circumstances at London Welsh two months ago, when they built an early lead quickly and then allowed themselves to be drawn into playing an unfamiliar Barbarians-brand of rugby with disastrous consequences. On Sunday they were able to bring on flanker Tom Johnson, dropped by England after last week's defeat by Australia, as a replacement for the final 13 minutes and he proved a calming influence in an often frenetic affair. "We have been trying to get a little bit of a monkey off our back in trying to get a win here at all in our time in the Premiership and our first away Premiership win of the season," said Exeter head coach Rob Baxter. A heavy defeat loomed for the Exiles, who were potent in attack but passive in defence, when Exeter wing Matt Jess ghosted through and set up centre Phil Dollman for the opening try after only three minutes. Three penalties from Steenson followed before Jess was again allowed to wriggle free and slip an inside pass to full-back Luke Arscott who broke some flimsy tackling before the Exiles stirred themselves from their torpor. Leo Halavtau, a try-scoring back-row forward during his formative years with Birmingham and Solihull but now a fast-improving tighthead prop, drove over from a line-out late in the first half and Topsy Ojo latched on to a beautifully weighted kick from Humphreys whose touchline conversion reduced the deficit to a point. But Humphreys took a bang to the head after he had landed the penalty that gave the Exiles the lead for the only time and Tom Homerwas off target with two long range penalty attempts when he took over the kicking duties. I have a problem with our first 20 minutes when we lost concentration and focus in defence and we got caned. We gave ourselves a mountain to climb," admitted Brian Smith, the London Irish director of rugby.