Saints outgunned on derby day as dominant Leicester Tigers take the spoils

The black, green and gold didn't really get anything going all day as they were outgunned in pretty much every department by their fired-up local rivals.

Tommy Freeman finished a well-worked move during the first half, and George Hendy and Freeman did the same in the second, but that was all the away fans had to shout about on a sobering afternoon.

Tigers were totally dominant throughout, playing with power and pace in an ill-tempered game that included several traditional derby-day scuffles.

Saints were hit by three sin-binnings on the day, while Tigers lost Joe Heyes and Charlie Clare to yellow cards and Izaia Perese to a 20-minute red after the Australian made head contact with George Furbank late on, meaning the England full-back had to leave the field for a head injury assessment.

But the home side weren't affected by players being off the field as they continued to push on and pile the pain on their neighbours.

For Saints, it was an afternoon to forget as well as one to fuel the fire for battles ahead as they suffered just their second league loss of the season.

Phil Dowson's men will now be tasked with regrouping quickly as they host Bristol Bears in another big Gallagher PREM battle on Friday night.

Saints had headed to Leicester hoping to extend the gap between themselves and Tigers, but the black, green and gold were dealt a blow before kick-off as Tom Lockett was forced to withdraw after the warm-up.

And Saints then had another injury worry almost from the very first attack as Furbank sustained a heavy blow and was down for some time receiving treatment.

Thankfully, Furbank was eventually able to continue, but Saints were bettered at the breakdown, putting a stop to a promising early spell.

The teams then got stuck into each other off the ball as Robbie Smith clashed with Nicky Smith in traditional derby-day fashion.

Tigers had emerged with real brutality, powering into collisions, giving them a platform on which to build.

Saints did some good work to hold the ball up over their own line after Tigers took a tap five metres from the line, but the pressure was being piled on with penalty after penalty going the way of the hosts.

Eventually the home dominance told as Tigers worked the ball for lock George Martin to score, with Callum Chick being sent to the sin bin immediately after due to his side's persistent offending.

James O'Connor hit the post with the conversion attempt but Saints were under constant duress as the hungry hosts came flying at them from all angles.

Freeman did well to get back and cover an Ollie Hassell-Collins kick, beating the Tigers wing to the ball and allowing Saints to clear.

Saints finally got up and running from an attacking perspective on 20 minutes as they conjured up an excellent score that saw Furbank release Freeman on the right.

Fin Smith hit the left post with his conversion to leave the scores level.

But it wasn't level for long as, with a penalty coming, Tigers moved the ball to the left, where Hassell-Collins slipped through the grasp of Furbank to score.

O'Connor converted well and Tigers led 12-5 with 26 minutes on the clock.

Saints were hit with another blow soon after as they conceded a penalty at their own scrum, Tigers kicked to the corner and got the ball to Jamie Blamire, who powered over from close range.

O'Connor converted before Saints tried to respond, but after kicking a penalty to the corner, they lost a key lineout, giving their hosts the chance to get out.

There was to be one final chance before the break for the black, green and gold, but as had often been the case during a frustrating first half, Tigers snuffed out the opportunity and booted the ball out from inside their 22 to send the teams in at the interval.

Saints tried to come out firing after the break but yet again they were penalised at the breakdown, allowing O'Connor to notch a penalty to put his side 22-5 up.

Tigers were playing with real belief and they pieced together a superb try, keeping the ball in on the right before Jack van Poortvliet sent a tidy chip over the top for the onrushing Adam Radwan to score.

O'Connor converted and Saints were soon in more hot water as Josh Kemeny was sin-binned for killing the ball after Will Wand collected the ball ahead of Hendy close to the away line.

Saints were all at sea and Tigers soon scored again, kicking the ball to the corner before driving over, with hooker Blamire the scorer.

A brawl broke out involving Craig Wright and England tighthead prop Heyes, with Heyes instigating it and Wright reacting, earning both players yellow cards.

With Wright off the pitch, Henry Pollock, on as a second-half replacement, even took a lineout but it was roundly cheered as Tigers got the ball back before another minor scuffle broke out.

Wright was the victim of a swinging arm to the face later in the game, earning ex-Saints hooker Clare a spell in the sin bin.

But it made little different to Tigers as they left Saints grounded again, with Freddie Steward making his way over as the away side struggled to offer any resistance.

Saints hit back with a nicely worked score, with Pollock releasing Hendy for a try with nine minutes to go.

Smith converted and Saints were trying to find a way to salvage something late on.

Tigers thought they had scored again when centre Wand went over on the right, but his effort was ruled out for head contact from Perese on Furbank in the build-up.

Perese was given a 20-minute red card and Furbank had to go off for a head injury assessment.

Saints conjured up one final try as Hendy fired a long pass out to Tom Litchfield and he did well to draw the contact before giving it to Freeman for the try.

But that was to be that as Tigers shut the door on Saints and kicked the ball out to confirm their win, sparking yet more celebrations among the jubilant home fans, who had taken to singing 'top of the league, you're having a laugh' during a match that they had enjoyed greatly.

Leicester Tigers: 15 Freddie Steward; 14 Adam Radwan, 13 Will Wand (Izaia Perese 65), 12 Orlando Bailey, 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins; 10 James O'Connor (Solomone Kata 52), 9 Jack van Poortvliet (Tom Whiteley 68); 1 Nicky Smith (Archie van der Flier 57), 2 Jamie Blamire (Charlie Clare 62), 3 Joe Heyes (Will Hurd 67); 4 Ollie Chessum (c), 5 George Martin (Cameron Henderson 49); 6 Hanro Liebenberg, 7 Tommy Reffell (Cameron Henderson 57), 8 Joaquin Moro.

Saints: 15 George Furbank (c); 14 Tommy Freeman (Tom Litchfield 70), 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Fraser Dingwall, 11 George Hendy; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell (Archie McParland 53); 1 Emmanuel Iyogun (Tom West 57), 2 Robbie Smith (Craig Wright 40), 3 Luke Green (Elliot Millar Mills 57); 4 Chunya Munga (Emeka Atuanya 75), 5 JJ Van Der Mescht (Ed Prowse 50); 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Sam Graham (Henry Pollock 51), 8 Callum Chick.

Referee: Matthew Carley