The first came in the first play of the game as the Wanderers recovered their own kick off, and when the second bisected the uprights the visitors had six points to their name with as many minutes on the clock. The decisions to go for goal looked even wiser when Leicester flanker Jethro Rawling was driven over in the corner to make it 6-5, Billy Twelvetrees missing the conversion.

All this did though was to spur the Wanderers' efforts even further, with Stuart Commins racing over for the first try of his Northampton career. Ford's accuracy continued with the conversion to take the lead out to eight points, but there was better to come at the end of the quarter.

Leicester were looking to strike back immediately, with some powerful running taking them into the Wanderers' 22. But when they lost the ball Ford spotted an overlap and decided that a counter attack was the better option than putting boot to ball. Ben Nutley took play on, and quick hands from Mark Easter put Jamie Elliott into the clear. Charlie Sadler wasn't taking anything for granted though and when Elliott was caught by the last defender the wing was able to cruise over unopposed.

The counter attacking bonanza continued as Leicester scored a second try through Steve Mafi, an 80-metre move that began when a rare Ford mistake saw him be stripped of the ball following an initial break, and which with Twelvetrees' conversion brought the Tigers back to within eight points.

The fly half showed no ill effects when he slotted his third penalty on the half-hour. But if the travelling supporters were under the impression that everything was going their way they were forced to think again when the home pack turned on the power to earn themselves a penalty try.

Twelvetrees converted, answered in the last minute of normal time by Ford's fourth penalty. And the end-to-end action continued right up until the break, with Wanderer Alex Waller and Tiger Lee Robinson both denied tries with last-ditch tackles, the latter a superb Greig Tonks effort. But there was no one to stop Twelvetrees sliding over on the stroke of half-time, capitalising on a sloppy Wanderers five-metre lineout, and with the centre converting his own try the scores were tied at 26-all as the players headed off for a breather.

The two teams had served up some outstanding entertainment in the first half, and they continued with more of the same after the break, despite the heavy wind and rain that was by now sweeping from one end of Welford Road to the other.

The visitors were first to come close, a neat Ford grubber putting Lucas Amorosino under pressure and forcing a five-metre scrum. Then it was Leicester's turn, Amorosino breaking the initial tackle and taking play into the Northampton half only to see wing Alex Lewington cough up the ball in the tackle.

Leicester were nevertheless rewarded by a penalty at the scrum, kicked by George Ford, and the home fans were lifted further when older brother Joe pushed his next effort wide of the uprights. This proved to be the last chance of points the visitors would have in the third quarter; Leicester instead increasing their lead to 10 points with a Robinson try and Ford conversion.

But while Joe was on the money with his next shot, a monstrous effort from seven metres inside his own half, George was busy landing conversions, and when his next effort added the extras to Rawling's second try the game was gone, something emphasised when Mafi powered over for his second try with virtually the last play of the night.

Referee - Michael Tutty

TIMELINE
2mins WAND Pen Ford 0-3
6mins WAND Pen Ford 0-6
13mins LEICS Try Rawling 5-6
18mins WAND Try Commins Con Ford 5-13
21mins WAND Try Sadler Con Ford 5-20
24mins LEICS Try Mafi Con Twelvetrees 12-20
31mins WAND Pen Ford 12-23
35mins LEICS Try Penalty Con Twelvetrees 19-23
39mins WAND Pen Ford 19-26
40+2mins LEICS Try Twelvetrees Con Twelvetrees 26-26
HALF-TIME LEICESTER 26 WANDERERS 26
50mins LEICS Pen Ford 29-26
52mins WAND Miss pen Ford
55mins LEICS Try Robinson Con Ford 36-26
61mins LEICS Miss pen Ford
67mins WAND Pen Ford 36-29
74mins LEICS Try Rawling Con Ford 43-29
84mins LEICS Try Mafi Con Ford 50-29
FULL-TIME LEICESTER 50 WANDERERS 29