Varndell va-va voom for Tigers

Leicester inflicted a third successive Premiership defeat on Bath.

Leicester 40-26 Bath

Guinness Premiership, Welford Road, Saturday September 17, KO 3pm

Bath failed to take advantage of several handling errors from Leicester as they crashed to a third consecutive Guinness Premiership defeat.

Winger Tom Varndell stood out for the Tigers with a brace of tries that took his tally to 12 in 12 appearances for Leicester as Andy Goode totalled 20 points with the boot.

The Tigers had control of the match early when Barndell intercepted a pass from Bath full-back Matt Perry to dash in from the halfway line.

And Geordan Murphy ensured the Tigers stayed in front after he set-up his own try in reply to two penalties from Olly Barkley.

Murphy hit a fine kick down the left flank and Varndell won the foot race to collect the ball first before delivering it back to Murphy to cross over the whitewash as Goode added the extras and then a penalty to give Leicester a commanding 17-6 lead.

The visitors replied themselves through an intercepted effort as French winger David Bory snapped up a ball intended for Austin Healy to burst clear before centre Andy Higgins plunged over.

By the time the interval arrived Bath were within a point of their opponents following a drop-goal from fly-half Andy Dunne.

And the visitors took the lead for the first time when Bory again pounced on a loose pass from Goode to score in the corner, with Barkley converting.

Goode atoned for his error when he booted a penalty on the hour mark and then made the killer pass for Varndell's second try on the left wing.

He then made a brilliant conversion from the touchline before striking two more penalties to give Tigers a 30-23 advantage.

Although Barkley reduced the deficit with another penalty, the home side secured victory when forward Shane Jennings registered a late injury-time touchdown.

Leicester (17) 40.

Tries: Varndell 2, Murphy, Jennings.
Cons: Goode 4.
Pens: Goode 4.

Bath (16) 26.

Tries: Higgins, Bory.
Cons: Barkley 2.
Pens: Barkley 3.
Drop Goals: Dunne.

Att: 16,815