Viadana bitten by Tigers

Leicester put their Heineken Cup campaign back on course with a bonus-point triumph over Pool Three rivals Viadana.

The Tigers made their 46-11 comeback following their opening nervy home draw against the Ospreys.

A hat-trick from Scott Hamilton, tries for Johne Murphy, Tom Croft and Lucas Amorosino and a penalty try saw the visitors prevail in Northern Italy.

Viadana were aiming to record their first win in Europe at the 14th attempt, but two-time champions Leicester immediately put a downer on their plans when Jeremy Staunton broke the deadlock with a close-range penalty in the fifth minute.

Wing Murphy continued a bright start for the English giants in the 10th minute by touching down for his second try in the competition in consecutive weeks.

Leicester scrum-half James Grindal joined with Staunton and Hamilton to permit the winger an easy score in the right corner.

Even though Staunton missed the conversion, Leicester head coach Richard Cockerill must have been delighted with such a strong start from the Tigers.

Positive

Cockerill's forwards were mostly responsible for the positive opening, with Italian prop Martin Castrogiovanni and England high-fliers Jordan Crane and Lewis Moody making notable starts.

The Italians, no doubt buoyed by the fervent home crowd, eventually instigated their response, with Pierre Hola finally getting Viadana onto the scoreboard with a penalty.

The deficit should have been closed further still but full-back Garry Law dragged his long-range effort to the right hand side of the posts before Hola's ambitious drop goal went wide.

Rewarded

After demonstrating unyielding attack, the Italians were rewarded by levelling the score in the 26th minute when Hola's cross-kick allowed Robertson to beat Amorosino to the high ball and waltz past Hamilton to touch down, with the home faithful erupting wildly as Hola converted.

Not discouraged, the visitors responded almost immediately through All Black Hamilton, with Grindal fending off the tackle of prop Miguel Alonso so that Amorosino's inside pass allowed Hamilton to cruise home for a converted try by Staunton under the posts.

British and Irish Lion Tom Croft continued the emphatic comeback when he added the third on 36 minutes by eluding three defenders to touch down with ease.

Although Leicester's penalty count was approaching double figures, the visitors were briefly made to sweat after 53 minutes when Hola claimed a penalty, and a yellow card for Crane in the 63rd minute for tackling without the ball set up an anxious final quarter.

The Tigers managed to hold on and sweetened the hard-earned victory by increasing the margin with late scores from Hamilton, Amorosino and a penalty try.