Although the winger scored a second half try, by then it was too late for the travellers to get anything from the contest, the Chiefs having built up a 21-5 lead by the hour mark.
That was despite the Saints having several try scoring opportunities in the first half. Playing into the wind the visitors repeatedly got to within sight of the Exeter try line, only to see the ball hit the deck or be turned over at the crucial moment.
Having been let off at one end, the Chiefs capitalised at the other, making the most of three yellow cards either side of half-time to score three tries of their own to built up that insurmountable advantage.
“We’re very disappointed,” a frustrated Elliott told SaintsTV. “We knew what we had to do coming down here and they lived off our mistakes. We didn’t make touch a few times, they ran it back, and playing with 13 men is very hard.
“Playing against the wind we had to keep hold of the ball and play through a few phases. We just had to be more patient. We got into their 22, had quite a few chances and left tries on the pitch.
“Then we gave them too much ball in the second half. We couldn’t clear our lines and that allowed them to build pressure on us. It’s hard to play without the ball.”
The Saints now have a two week gap until they host Saracens at stadiummk in a game that will go a long way to deciding who gets a crucial home advantage in the Aviva Premiership semi-finals, and Elliott says that the time will be used productively.
“For me I’ll be looking back at my own personal performance and analysing it to see where I can improve, and as a team we have to look at ourselves as a group,” he added.
“We need to get back to winning ways in Milton Keynes, and to get our supporters behind us.”
