London Irish avenged their Premiership Cup final defeat by beating Exeter 17-14 to seal a fifth-place finish.

Tom Pearson went over to put the Exiles ahead, but Tom Hendrickson punished an Irish error to score and Henry Slade's conversion nudged Exeter in front.

But Martin Gonzalez's scrappy second score ended a difficult week on a high note for Irish.

Having seen their play-off hopes ended in defeat by Saracens in their penultimate game, Irish's final match looked in doubt until their players were paid late on Thursday.

With a takeover adding to distractions off the pitch, the Irish players sealed an excellent campaign as a ninth win in 12 matches sealed their highest league finish since the 2008-09 season when they reached the Premiership final.

For Exeter, the final whistle brought an eighth successive away league defeat and a seventh-placed finish.

It also marked the end of an era, with the expected departure of much of the squad which drove the Chiefs to six Premiership finals, two domestic titles and a European crown in a double-winning 2019-20 season.

Exeter struck first when Vermeulen ran a good supporting line after Ollie Devoto's break and forced his way over.

They pressed for a second score, with Josh Iosefa-Scott going close after back-to-back penalties near the Exiles line.

However, moments later, Chiefs were pegged back when Gonzalez slipped through tackles to power over as a tight first half ended level.

Tom Pearson went over after a rolling maul drive to nudge Irish in front after 23 scoreless second-half minutes.

Yet the lead lasted only four minutes as Tom Wyatt pounced on an Irish error to feed Hendrickson who ran half the length of the pitch to score.

Henry Slade's conversion edged the visitors back in front at 14-12 with 14 minutes left.

But a fairy-tale finish was snuffed out with eight minutes remaining when Pearson picked up the loose ball and broke away before sending Gonzalez over for the winning score.

London Irish: Arundell, Loader, Janse van Rensburg, Jennings, Cinti, Jackson, White, Fischetti, Creevy, Hoskins, Ratuniyarawa, Simmons, Rogerson (c), Gonzalez, Fa'aso'o.

Replacements: Willemse, Haffar, Chawatama, Caulfield, Pearson, Cunningham-South, Powell, Stokes.

Exeter: Hodge, Feyi-Waboso, Slade (c), Devoto, Wyatt, Skinner, Townsend, Hepburn, Innard, Iosefa-Scott, Kirsten, Dunne, Vermeulen, Tshiunza, Fisilau.

Replacements: Harris, Keast, Street, Williams, Davis, Cairns, Hendrickson, John.

Referee: Luke Pearce.