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WANDERERS 20 TIGERS 11 Derby day delight at the Gardens

Travis PerkinsSponsored by Travis Perkins

The Wanderers produced a complete performance to go top of the Aviva 'A' League's Northern Conference on Monday evening, seeing off Leicester three tries to one under the Gardens lights.

Juan Pablo Estelles' first half brace handed them a narrow lead - one they would build on after the break with a third for Sion Bennett as well as a clean sheet at the other end.

Tom Hardwick kicked Leicester into an early lead, but when the chance of points came the Wandies way, Sam Olver’s superb work with the boot yielded seven rather than three points. The young fly half first put his side right in the corner and then guided a delightful chip over the Tigers defence for Estelles, the Argentine gathering at ease beside the posts.

Olver converted and was soon teeing up his outside centre for a second, Estelles showing his sevens pedigree with a scything sidestep and finish off a short ball.

Hardwick again found the mark with a penalty and the Tigers 10 would stick his side in the corner with a pair of quick fire penalties as half-time approached. The lineout drive was repelled, albeit ilelgally, and with advantage being played Ben White snuck over in the corner.

The gap stayed at one until the break, but was quickly reopened after when Olver flicked over three more. The Wanderers stayed on the front foot thereafter, too, Howard Packman coming closest in the right corner but neither side creating a guilt edged chance as the hour passed.

That soon changed when Ryan Olowefela went to the bin for the visitors, the Wandies biding their time before spreading it quickly to Sion Bennett when a couple of pens took them within striking distance.

There was still plenty of work to do, though, especially when Matt Beesley's yellow card left the hosts with 14 men for the final five minutes, pegged to their own line.

The pack stepped up to help out their departed prop, however, driving Leicester off their own ball for the match winning moment before taking the Wanderers upfield to safety just seconds later.

TIMELINE
2mins TIGERS Pen Hardwick 0-3
7mins WAND Try Estelles Con Olver 7-3
12mins WAND Try Estelles 12-3
17mins TIGERS Pen Hardwick 12-6
35mins TIGERS Try White 12-11
HALF-TIME WAND 12-11 TIGERS
45mins WAND Pen Olver 15-11
58mins TIGERS Yellow R Olowofela
62mins WAND Try Bennett 20-11
75mins WAND Yellow Beesley
FULL-TIME WAND 20-11 TIGERS

WANDERERS
Furbank; Packman, Tuitavake, Estelles, Emery; Olver, Mitchell; Beesley, Fish, Ilnicki, Moon, J Onojaife, Nutley (capt), Ludlam, D Onojaife

Rayment, Painter, Morley, Peters, Bennett, Grayson, Green, Strachan

TIGERS
Simmons; R Olowofela, C Thacker, Bryant, Yawayawa; Hardwick, White; Brugnara, H Thacker (capt), Betts, Grahamslaw, Lewis, Owen, Evans, Tuilagi

Mahoney, Harper, Heyes, Reffen, J Olowofela, Fenner

REFEREE
Dean Richards

 

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