The occasion appeared to get to Exeter as they suffered the worst possible start when the fit-again Feyi-Waboso bumped into Olly Woodburn, who was catching Archie McParland’s dinked kick towards the Exeter corner, and Freeman snaffled up the loose ball before diving in.
Henry Pollock was held up over the Exeter line five minutes later as Northampton – backed by a noisy crowd from the East Midlands – adapted to the big day better than the Chiefs.
Exeter’s nightmare opening was compounded when in-form hooker Max Norey limped off with an ankle injury moments later.
But just when it seemed as though Exeter might crumble, they hit back as Len Ikitau gathered the ball after Freeman tried to keep a kick in play and fed Ridl, who raced in down the left wing for his 17th try in all competitions in his debut season.
Chiefs could have gone further ahead in the following minutes, but Saints thwarted dangerous breaks by Henry Slade and Stephen Varney, while George Furbank dropped a pass with the Exeter line beckoning in the 18th minute.
But Saints breached Exeter for a second time eight minutes from the break when Smith went in after a number of phases deep in Chiefs territory.
However, in the final seconds of the half Exeter got their second try as they kicked a penalty to the corner and Iosefa-Scott gathered the ball at the back of the resulting lineout and forced his way in.
More to follow.
Northampton: Furbank (c); Freeman, Litchfield, Hutchinson, Hendy; Smith, McParland; Iyogun, Langdon, Millar Mills; Coles, Prowse, Kemeny, Pearson, Pollock.
Replacements: Wright, Fischetti, Green, Van der Mescht, Lockett, Chick, Mitchell, Dingwall.
Yellow card: Kemeny (51)
Exeter: Woodburn; Feyi-Waboso, Slade, Ikitau, Ridl; Skinner, Varney; Sio, Norey, Iosefa-Scott; Jenkins (c), Zambonin, Hooper, Roots, Fisilau.
Replacements: Dweba, Burger, Tchumbadze, Tshiunza, Vintcent, James, Cairns, Haydon-Wood.
Yellow card: Jenkins (57)
Referee: Matthew Carley.
