SOMETIMES you reap what you sow - and in the case of Exeter Chiefs - it proved that way as they were dumped out of this season’s Investec Champions Cup by Ulster.

Under the lights in Belfast, the city made famous for building the ill-fated Titanic, Exeter’s dismal season hit new depths of despair.

The 52-24 loss was their fourth in Pool One this season, leaving them with just a solitary point at the end of qualification, and more questions than answers from a campaign in which they have been comprehensively put to the sword by Europe’s elite.

Ahead of kick-off, it seemed Rob Baxter had already envisaged his side’s ultimate fate, making 12 changes to the side that were thumped by Bordeaux-Begles the previous week.

The switch-up in personnel was either a bold final throw of the dice or - more likely - a more considered, long-term view, especially with Saracens next on the agenda in the Premiership.

For 40 minutes at least at the Kingspan, Baxter’s new batch more than held their own. They stormed into an early 12-0 lead thanks to tries from Paul Brown-Bampoe and Ross Vintcent, one of which was converted by Will Haydon-Wood.

However, Ulster’s response was not only swift, but highly effective, as Carson Izuchukwu and fellow forward Dave McCann drew them level with tries of their own.

Rus Tuima restored the Chiefs advantage on the half-hour, stretching over after a decent burst from Joe Hawkins, only for the hosts to counter with a score from Nick Timoney, who was able to shake off the attentions of Vintcent before darting over.

With little to choose between the rivals at the break, it was Ulster who re-emerged with a gusto and a vigour that the Chiefs simply could not handle. The distinct lack of game time in the legs of many in Exeter colours was clearly evident as the minutes elapsed.

Ulster’s aggression was just too much as they pulled clear of danger with four tries in ten second half minutes. Hooker Rob Herring struck first, rumbling over from a close-range maul, before Izuchukwu’s brace bookended further efforts from Ben Carson and McCann.

Zack Wimbush capitalised on a late fumble from Jake Flannery to score a last-gasp consolation for the Chiefs, but that was a mere bonus in a season which is sadly sinking without trace.

Post-game, the Chiefs Director of Rugby gave his assessment, saying: “The easy way to wrap that up is we reap what we sow. We did put a team together that hasn’t played a lot and had a lack of game time in their legs. I actually thought when we had the legs under us, we looked good, we looked dangerous, and we played some good rugby that put Ulster under pressure.

“But, as our energy waned, you could start to see the pressure build on us and things started to snowball very quickly as that fatigue element set in. It was heart-breaking for our players to look up and see a scoreboard with 50 points on it.”

He added: “I know I sound like a broken record, but we do have to just keep working and improving from these experiences, that’s all we can do. The one thing I’ve just said to the players was don’t become victims almost. Don’t get use to being behind the posts and feeling like a broken person.

“Instead, get behind the posts and grow. Feel yourself become stronger and decide to stand up and fight. As coaches we must keep driving that because it can become very easy to do that when things have happened two or three times in a row. The reality is, it doesn’t have to keep happening, you just have to do something to stop it.”

Ulster: Stewart Moore (Jake Flannery 50); Werner Kok (Rob Lyttle 3), Ben Carson, Jude Postlethwaite, Mike Lowry; Jack Murphy, Nathan Doak (John Cooney 58); Eric O’Sullivan (Callum Reid 61), Rob Herring (Tom Stewart 58), Scott Wilson (Corrie Barrett 67); Iain Henderson (capt, Kieran Treadwell 58), Cormac Izuchukwu; James McNabney (Harry Sheridan 70), Nick Timoney, Dave McCann.

Tries: Izuchukwu (3), McCann (2), Timoney, Carson, Herring; Conversions: Doak (2), Cooney (4)

Exeter Chiefs: Harvey Skinner; Ben Hammersley, Joe Hawkins, Will Rigg (Zack Wimbush 63), Paul Brown-Bampoe; Will Haydon-Wood, Niall Armstrong (Tom Cairns 56); Goodrick-Clarke (Kwenso Blose 50), Jack Innard (capt, Max Norey 50), Josh Iosefa-Scott (Jimmy Roots 50); Rus Tuima (Jack Dunne 53), Christ Tshiunza (Joe Bailey 71); Martin Moloney (Lewis Pearson 63), Richard Capstick, Ross Vintcent.

Tries: Brown-Bampoe, Vintcent, Tuima, Wimbush; Conversions: Haydon-Wood, Skinner

Referee: H Davidson

Attendance: 13,093