Exeter captain Tom Hayes admits Clermont Auvergne were just too good after Chiefs fall to 46-3 defeat It is the same as when we got up into the top flight from the Championship. We knew we had to kick on, in terms of what we do as forwards and backs, how we work together, our kicking game, and in every element of the game. All is not lost for us though. We were in a fight, and in some ways the scoreboard does not reflect how much we were in the game, because we had our periods when we didn't finish off, but they certainly took their chances, and that was probably the main difference. Second-half injuries also badly affected the Chiefs, who will now be looking to pick up the pieces against Leinster at Sandy Park on Saturday and deny the defending champions a quarter-final place. Classy France centre Wesley Fofana opened the first-half floodgates with one of the tries of the Heineken Cup season as Clermont scored 20 points in a 10-minute spell. Fofana collected a superb offload from fellow centre Regan King and after fending off two tacklers he propelled himself over the line. Moments later full-back Jean-Marcellin Buttin also dotting down, and French international scrum-half Morgan Parra providing ten points with his boot. Gareth Steenson had missed two early kickable chances for Exeter, but struck with a 25th-minute penalty to make it 20-3 at the break. The Chiefs began the second half very brightly but failed to turn a period camped on the Frenchmen's line into any points. The loss of Aly Muldowney just before the hour mark with an ankle injury saw Exeter have to replace a lock with a hooker, and Clermont capitalised, with a ruthless final quarter providing tries for Damien Chouly, Buttin, David Skrela and Napolioni Nalaga. Clermont will take some beating.