Varndell at double for Tigers

A double from Tom Varndell helped Leicester to a narrow 26-18 win over London Irish.

Guinness Premiership, Leicester v London Irish, Welford Road, Saturday November 18

A double from Tom Varndell helped a much-changed Leicester to a narrow 26-18 win over London Irish at Welford Road.

Tigers coach Pat Howard was without a total of 15 players due to international call-ups and injuries, but saw his largely inexperienced side do enough to clinch victory over the Exiles, all of whose points came from the boot of Shane Geraghty.

Geraghty's opposite number Ian Humphreys produced an assured performance of his own on home debut, notching 16 points in a flawless kicking display.

Leicester were on the board in just the second minute as Varndell brought the crowd to its feet by finishing a wonderful counter-attack that started just a few metres from the Tigers line.

It was Daryl Gibson who made the initial break and, after he had offloaded to Dan Hipkiss, Varndell was subsequently on hand to speed over in the corner.

Humphreys kicked the extras and then added a penalty with just five minutes on the clock to open up a 10-0 advantage.

However, Geraghty quickly responded with his first successful kick of the afternoon and, despite Leicester creating further chances to score, ensured his side went in only one point down at the interval with two more penalties on 21 and 30 minutes.

But the hosts, as they had done in the first half, made a flying start to the second as Humphreys slotted another penalty and then set up his side's, and Varndell's, second try.

The young stand-off's long punt downfield was completely misjudged by Irish full-back Michael Horak who, in attempting to let the ball run dead, allowed Varndell to nip in and touch down.

Humphreys' successful conversion opened up an 11-point gap and although it was soon reduced by Geraghty's boot, he was back on the mark on the hour with another penalty of his own to ensure the hosts went in to the final quarter 23-12 up.

The Exiles did close to within a score as Geraghty landed two more penalties when the hosts needlessly handed their opponents a way back into the game, but Humphreys' sixth and final kick of the day in the final minute killed the game and kept Leicester right in touch with Gloucester at the top of the table.