Henry Trinder scored what turned out to be a consolation try in the second period but it was too little too late.
On a horrible evening at Sandy Park, it was Exeter who came out firing in the opening exchanges. Good early pressure saw the hosts set up camp deep inside the Gloucester 22 and from a well rehearsed line-out move they broke the game's deadlock on four minutes.
Gloucester did well to repel the initial Exeter raid but, when the secondary attack was instigated, there was Garrick Cowley to snipe off the back of a ruck and over the whitewash for the try.
Argentinian international Ignacio Mieres added the conversion and then slotted three penalties to stretch the lead to 16-0 after just 18 minutes.
Former Bristol number eight James Phillips crossed for a second try on the half hour, Mieres converted before adding a fourth penalty and, to rub salt into the wounds, Jordi Pasqualin was sinbinned before half time.
At 26-0 going into the break, the fat squaw was warming up her vocal chords…
Matters didn't really improve when Jon Gatford became the second Gloucester player to see yellow and Cowley took advantage of the numerical superiority to cross for his side's third try.
On the hour mark, Gloucester did strike as Henry Trinder latched onto a well-timed pass before showing some neat footwork to cut through the home defence for their opening try, which Dan Robson was able to convert.
Although Gloucester appeared lifted by the score, the game fell somewhat flat from there on in as sloppy handling, knock ons and a procession of replacements littered the last quarter.
It was Exeter, though, who finished the stronger of the two sides and with four minutes remaining more determined running from the home pack saw them propel lock Bentley for his second try in as many games.
Mieres landed his third conversion with his last telling contribution of the game.
