Having won at altitude in South Africa the previous weekend to protect their record as the only unbeaten team in the Guinness PRO14, Glasgow came away empty handed from their trip to meet the English champions in the West Country on Saturday, ultimately going down 24-15.
Speaking in the Evening Times, Ali said: "It was frustrating, but you have to credit Exeter.
"They held on to the ball well and they stopped us playing. We weren't accurate and in the end that gave them the ball back to get back into our half and muscle up with their forwards.
"They scored three tries off the back of that, but it comes down to us not being accurate.
"We planned for Exeter all week and we knew what was coming," he admitted.
"Their three tries were from forwards, off the back of getting into our 22. It's our own faults and our inaccuracies.
"We didn't hold the ball well enough, and they're a team that holds the ball the most in the Premiership.
"We didn't play the territory well enough and they held the ball for large parts of the game. They had the momentum for a large part of the time.
"We've played teams similar to them this season. I think Exeter were just better at it.
"Mixed in with that there were a few mistakes and the bounce of the ball didn't go our way at times. Things didn't quite click for us."
European champions Leinster visit Scotstoun and Warriors know it's a must-win match if they hope to repeat last year's breakthrough when they reached the Champions Cup quarter-finals for the first time.
Leinster defeated former Scotland coach Vern Cotter's Montpellier on Saturday, picking up a four try bonus point along the way, while the French side picked up a losing bonus point, leaving Glasgow at the bottom of the table.
"We are still in it," Ali insisted.
"Everyone knows that the home games are crucial.
"Of course we would like to have won and taken points from the game but we're far from out of it. It is the first round.
"Next week was always going to be a must-win. It's a home game so it's a must-win."
"We're all disappointed in the result, but Leinster is a whole different game. We will look at them on Monday and go again."
And as they do so they can draw confidence from this season's previous clash with another Irish provinces that has gone the distance in Europe, having thrashed Munster at Scotstoun last month.
"Munster is the closest thing we've put out there yet as to how we are looking to exploit teams," said Ali.
"If we can build performances off the Munster one then we will be going in the right direction and picking up wins."