Leicester boss Richard Cockerill praised his side after they produced a second-half fightback to beat Clermont.
Bonnaire happy to return home to France with a losing bonus point
Leicester boss Richard Cockerill praised his side after they produced a superb second-half fightback to beat Clermont Auvergne.
The hosts looked set to suffer an early exit from Europe's premier club competition when they trailed 16-7 in a crucial Pool 4 clash.
However Jules Salvi's try, along with the boot of Toby Flood, helped the Tigers claw their way back into the contest, leaving the group delicately poised.
Cockerill felt his side were unfortunate to be behind at the break but was delighted with their response, meaning an 11th quarter-final appearance in 15 seasons of Heineken Cup rugby remains a real possibility.
"We were composed at half-time, and I didn't think we were overly poor in the first half, but we did give away too many turnovers and we also conceded a cheap try," he said.
"That meant we were up against it because Clermont are a very good side, but we regrouped and turned things around.
"Reaching the quarter-finals is the priority. Who you might meet, and where, comes later."
Delicately balanced
Leicester, Clermont and Ulster, who won at Aironi on Saturday, all remain in the shake-up with only one quarter-final place guaranteed.
The Tigers go to Belfast when the tournament resumes next month, then end their campaign at home against the group's whipping boys Aironi. They are currently two points behind Ulster and one above Clermont.
"To qualify from these pools you need to win five of your six games," Cockerill said. "So we know exactly what we need to do, which is beat Ulster in Belfast and Aironi at home."
New Zealand winger Sitiveni Sivivatu touched down for the visitors, while Morgan Parra and David Skrela both dropped goals, with Parra also slotting two penalties and a conversion.
Clermont's losing bonus point, though, could yet prove important to the final pool picture, something their captain Julien Bonnaire was quick to point out.
"We kicked the ball out at the end because it made sure that we will go home with a point," he said.
"We were very positive before the game. We came here to win and we believed we could win against Leicester twice in a row (Clermont triumphed 30-12 in France last weekend).
"When you look back after a qualifying group and you have taken a point in Leicester, then it could be the point that takes you into the next stage of the competition."
