Match Centre: Gallagher Premiership: Leicester Tigers 26-17 Northampton Saints

Leicester Tigers 26-17 Northampton Saints , Mattioli Woods Welford Road

Leicester Tigers ended Northampton's three-game winning streak as they sealed a 26-17 victory in the latest round of the Gallagher Premiership at Mattioli Woods Welford Road on Saturday.

This is second win for the Tigers in the competition as they moved to the eighth place in the table while the Saints are at fifth place in the table with 16 points.

The Tigers were the first to open the account as Freddie Steward forced an error allowing Handre Pollard to slot a three-pointer in the 2nd minute before Fin Smith levelled the scores with a penalty of his own in the 18th minute.

Leicester had a try ruled out from Charlie Clare as centre Sol Kata was judged to have interfered as the maul broke off but two more penalty kicks from Pollard meant the home side had a 9-3 lead by the end of the opening half.

Pollard continued his kicking form with his fourth penalty kick early in the second half before the Saints were down to 14 players temporarily with Sam Matavesi sin-binned in the 53rd minute for repeated infringements.

The home side made use of the numerical advantage as replacement prop Francois Van Wyk muscled his way over the line making it 19-3 as Ethan Waller became the second player to be yellow carded after the try for a string of penalties against the pack.

Despite being down on the numbers, the Saints clawed their way back with a converted try from George Furbank bring down the deficit to nine points before home captain Hanro Liebenberg quickly tapped a penalty and burrowed his way over from five metres out making it 26-10.

Sam Matavesi scored a consolation try in the added minutes for the Saints but Leicester went on to complete a nine point victory to move eighth in the table.

Team line up:

Leicester Tigers: Steward; Bassett, Porter, Kata, Hassell-Collins; Pollard, Youngs; Cronin, Clare, Heyes, Henderson, Chessum, Liebenberg (capt), Reffell, Wiese.

Reserves: Vanes, van Wyk, Cole, Carter, Rogerson, Whiteley, Shillcock, Scott.

Northampton Saints: Furbank, Hendy, Freeman, Dingwall, Ramm; Smith, Mitchell; A Waller, Langdon, Davison, Moon, Munga, Coles, Pearson, Ludlam (capt).

Reserves: Matavesi, E Waller, Millar Mills, Lockett, Pollock, James, Hutchinson, Sleightholme.