Tigers clinch dramatic win

Croft: Two late tries

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Two tries in the last 15 minutes from flanker Tom Croft gave Leicester an unlikely 24-22 Guinness Premiership victory over arch rivals Bath in a Welford Road thriller on Sunday.

Butch James appeared to have given Bath an unassailable 22-9 lead with an hour gone, the playmaker setting up wing Joe Maddock for a classy score, but the Tigers hit back with Derick Hougaard booting the go-ahead conversion after Croft had crept in on the right.

A bonus-point defeat did not do justice to Bath, who deservedly led 15-6 at the break with James dictating play with the boot and with ball in hand.

Stuart Hooper and Pieter Dixon crossed in the first half and visiting fans were at one stage eyeing a bonus-point win, but Tigers camped out in the opposition half in the final quarter and made their possession tell as Bath flagged late on.

Bath lost Justin Harrison and Martin Lipman before the start due to illness, although both were named on the bench, while Leicester had to do without winger Scott Hamilton and Jordan Crane who had picked up knocks.

Great work

And it was the visiting pack who impressed early on despite Hougaard putting Leicester in front in the third minute after Bath collapsed a scrum.

Late replacement Hooper put Bath in front in the seventh minute, the Tigers defence unable to ground the lock as he stumbled over after some great work from James.

Hougaard missed with a long range drop goal attempt and should have narrowed the deficit in the 14th minute, seeing his penalty rebound off the left hand upright after Scott Bemand infringed at the scrum.

James and Johne Murphy were then involved in a fracas but referee Chris White allowed both to stay on the field, and James almost had a hand in a second try with a delightful kick through that Shontayne Hape marginally knocked on before Crockett went over.

The Leicester pack started to assert themselves and a dominant phase of play took them to within 10 metres of the try line, but the Bath defence held firm and Julian White could only knock on when isolated.

In the 27th minute a great cross-field kick from James caught Geordan Murphy off guard and the full-back had to concede the penalty for not releasing.

Bath won the ensuing lineout and from the shove went over with Dixon coming up with the ball, although James missed the extras.

Hougaard kept Leicester within range from in front of the posts on the half hour mark after Bath came over the top, although James made amends for his earlier miss to restore the nine-point lead at the break from wide on the left.

Magic from James

Hougaard was again on target eight minutes into the second half with the visitors handling on the ground, but Bath were still on top territorially thanks to James, who kicked delightfully to the corner.

However, it was the South African who failed to hold on trying to bulldoze over after Bath won the lineout, and Leicester were able to clear.

But the respite was only brief as six minutes later James conjured something from nothing with a little piece of magic.

The South African collected a kick from Julian Dupuy, picked up his own chip through before twice linking with winger Maddock, who finished with aplomb in the right hand corner - James adding the convertion.

Leicester needed to hit back quickly and finally they raised their game, Dupuy making a great break with a quick penalty and while Bath were disputing another Tigers advantage Hougaard nipped away, taking the home side to within inches of the line.

Tigers had to make the most of their position and although Ben Kay went over, the referee called the play back because he was obstructing the would-be tackler.

But it was only a matter of time before Tigers found a way through and their advance proved irresistable as Croft charged over for his second try in as many weeks.

Pulsating finish

Hougaard inexplicably missed the conversion from just right of the posts leaving the hosts eight points behind, but soon made amends with an opportunist drop goal to set up a pulsating final five minutes.

Bath were on the ropes, and with Tigers running them from one side of the field to the other, Lewis Moody offloaded to Croft on the right to dash through before touching down near the posts.

This time Hougaard slotted the conversion to the delight of the sellout crowd, the South African taking his tally to 14 points and having the last laugh on his opposite number and countryman.

The victory keeps Leicester in touch with the four teams above them in the table, while Bath will rue a missed opportunity to re-join London Irish at the top.