Leicester Tigers continued their unbeaten run in the Women’s Championship North with a 39-5 away victory over Kenilworth Women on Saturday afternoon.

A first-half double from Lucrezia Iavarone helped Leicester lead by five at the break before five tries in the second-half secured the 34-point win.

The result sees Tigers remain in top spot on the league ladder after eight rounds, five competition points ahead of Cheltenham Tigers Women who defeated Barnsley in their Round 8 fixture.

It was 13 minutes before the scoreboard attendant was put to work when the home side took advantage of ill-discipline from their Leicester counterparts and a quick-tap from close range caught the Tigers napping.

Only four minutes later, in the first chance for the visitors inside the Kenilworth half, the ball was moved quickly to the right and Iavarone did the rest from 35m out.

Both sides traded blows for almost 20 minutes before the final points of a hard-fought first-half came on the back of some quick-thinking and hands from Tigers.

A clearing kick from Kenilworth failed to find touch and, only a few phases in to their counter attack, Molly Sanghera and Georgia Westwood combined to send Iavarone in for her second.

The five-point lead at the break was extend to 10 within two minutes of the second-half being underway, when Bryany Chalk crossed out wide.

Only 10 minutes later and Westwood had her fifth of the season when the second-rower burst on to a pass 10m out and bumped off two defenders before reaching out to slam the ball down.

Molly Draycott converted the bonus-point score to extend the lead to 17 points with half an hour remaining.

A forward-pass ruling on the hour mark denied Draycott a try before, six minutes later, Sam Williams dived over down the short side.

The hooker had her second only minutes later when, on the back of a quick-tap from Morgan Richardson had Kenilworth back-tracking, she crashed through the last line of defence.

Williams was denied a hat-trick in the dying stages of the match after a driving maul took the Tigers across the try-line but was ruled hed up, however, Draycott reversed her misfortunate from the 60th minute when she found her way over in the final minute and converted to seal the win.