Exeter Chiefs hooker Neil Clark praised his team-mates for coping well with a series of refereeing decisions that went against them as they won 15-12 at Wasps last Saturday.

Top international referee Dave Pearson awarded a string of penalties against the Chiefs in the second half, particularly at scrum time, in a very tight Aviva Premiership match at Adams Park, played for the most part in horribly wet and windy conditions.

In the end, it was a penalty decision in Exeter's favour at a scrum five metres from their own line in the dying moments of the game that secured the Chiefs their fourth league win on the road this season.

"It certainly wasn't the prettiest games of rugby," said 30-year-old Clark, with great understatement.

"When we turned up at the ground, the heavens opened and the wind started to blow, and I think we knew it wasn't going to be the nice, flowing game that we were expecting.

"You have got to roll with the referee. Sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn't.

"We will obviously have a good look at the video and see whether the penalties given against us were legitimate or not, but it is one of those things. There is nothing you can do about it, and you have just got to try and react to it on the pitch.

"Fair play to the boys, and Budge [Chris Budgen], who managed to get a crucial penalty decision going our way right at the end, and we managed to hold on for the win and four very valuable points."

It was important for the Chiefs to build on their superb home victory over Leicester Tigers the previous week, but they also had to cope with the mental challenge of being branded favourites for the Wasps game, with Exeter lying fifth in the table, and their Buckinghamshire hosts fighting a relegation battle.

"Trying to get points was very, very important for both sides, for different reasons," Clark, the former Cornish All Blacks and Bristol front-row forward, said.

"It was a must-win game for Wasps, and the result was a really big let-down for them, but a massive positive for us, to back up the win over Leicester the previous week with another win on the road, and that is testament to the work of all the guys."

Exeter are only two points off third place, and a spot in the end-of-season play-offs is certainly within their grasp, especially with home matches against Clark's former club, Bath, and Sale Sharks to come over the next two weeks.

Clark is keen to take one game at a time, starting with a Bath side who won 31-3 at Sandy Park in the LV= Cup less than three weeks ago against a second-string Exeter line-up.

"We can't get too far ahead of ourselves," said Clark. "We will work on a few things this week and build for Bath on Saturday."

Tickets for Saturday's Premiership game are still available from the Chiefs' website (www.exeterchiefs.co.uk) or by calling into the club's Trading Post at Sandy Park between 10am and 4pm from Monday to Friday.

Worcester have signed England international scrum-half Paul Hodgson on a three-year deal from London Irish which will start next season.

The 29-year-old has made over 200 appearances for the Exiles. Worcester head coach Richard Hill said: "Paul is a hugely competitive, positive and enthusiastic player who has a fantastic attitude. He has huge drive to win at absolutely everything he does."