Leicester Tigers were left to rue missed chances in a dominant early period of the second half.
Having taken the lead, the hosts were continually stopped just short as visitors Trailfinders Women showed their mettle to hold out and score late tries to end genuine hopes of a first home win.
It’s the visitors who are on top early on, finding space on the right wing and breaking through early to gain territory inside Tigers 22.
Trailfinders send a slew of one up runners but Tigers grit their teeth and defend admirably.
Three minutes of constant pressure sees no metres made by the visitors, as the hosts continue to hold firm, sending shots in from across the team, the likes of Charlotte Fray, Julia Omokhuale and Katie Childs hitting hard before Leah Bartlett rips the ball away.
However, after Claire Gallagher clears the lines, Trailfinders come right back, finding the first try as Scotland flyer Chloe Rollie skips through and steps the covering fullback to score.
Tigers then enjoy their first spell of possession; they send runners up in the form of Omokhuale before a penalty is kicked to touch; there’s a picture perfect throw from Amy Cokayne but Trailfinders defend the maul well and can clear their lines after Gallagher stabs through a grubber.
Leicester then come back fighting and have their best shot of the half; firstly, a rolling maul makes 20 metres to switch possession into the visitors half before a Gallagher crossfield kick finds Tess Feury at full tilt.
The Eagle soars through and gets to the 22 before being brought down. Sophie Benavent then sits down a runner on a hard line before Omokhuale goes close. However, a turnover at the line allows Trailfinders to clear.
A few minutes later, Tigers come again after a canny lineout steal from Eva Donaldson; Childs and Donaldson then crash up before Francesca McGhie hits a slick wrap around to break from halfway and again get up to the 22 before the ball is lost.
Here, the visitors get their second, with a big slice of luck. As Tigers try to play out from their own half, a pass from the base ricochets around and bounces into the hands of Trailfinders, who offload into the hands of wing Rosie Inman to jog over.
Leicester roar right back into it though and bag their opener through McGhie. The Scot collects a looping offload from Fray and has the pace to break the line. She’s met by a covering Rollie but Fran chips the ball over the top and speeds onto it, touching down in the corner to get her side back in the game.
Both sides trade possession here as the contest rages in midfield. The teams alternate looping passes wide with crashes in midfield.
As time ticks away, it’s Leicester who win a vital penalty at scrumtime; as Gallagher kicks to touch, it’s batted back by Rollie and Mcghie almost gets there as the ball slips just out the back of the dead ball. The subsequent scrum is strong and it looks like it might be driven straight over the line. Just centre meters out, Fray, Benavent and Omokhuale drive at the line, all stopped right at the gain line. Finally, the visitors win a turnover as prop Kie Tamai gets over the ball and Trailfinders boot it out to end the half.
Half time score: Leicester Tigers 05 – 10 Trailfinders Women
The second half begins much as the first did; an early break sees Trailfinders threaten but, on this occasion, a knock on forces a scrum before, after the clearance, a shot from Bartlett forces a second.
From here Tigers break to halfway, McGhie again finding space to sprint through before chipping; it’s fielded well but another knock on is forced and we scrum in Trailfinders half.
A break down the blindside sees Henrich brought into touch but an overthrow at the lineout sees Cokayne break up to the five metre; a penalty is eventually called and Tigers opt for the scrum. Gallagher initially attacks the line and is repelled well before Donaldson’s hard line is stopped just short. Finally, Omokhuale drives over and Leicester grab their second, a successful Gallagher conversion allowing the hosts to take the lead for the first time.
From kick off Leicester come again, initially breaking down the left hand side through McGhie before building up the field.
The commitment is through the roof as players fire into contact, driving over the gainline and working well into the opposition half, a penalty giving the chance to kick to touch. From the maul, another penalty is given and Tigers opt for the scrum. The shove is on and when the ball is fired out Wills carries in, awaited by a big double hit. Tigers just can’t break the line as phase after phase is held before a turnover returns play to halfway.
Tigers roar back again and a brutal drive at the line out sees another penalty won before a third in as many minutes at scrum time sees a yellow card awarded.
This is the game’s nexus moment. However, the hand of fate swings in favour of the visitors.
As Tigers probe the line with willing runners, a looping ball wide is intercepted by Rollie. At full tilt she can’t quite make the line, McGhie steaming back to cover, but she holds her ground and offloads to Julia Schell at full tilt to help Trailfinders retake the lead.
This is a cruel blow at the height of momentum for Leicester and it leads to devastating consequences; emboldened by their score, the London side play their best rugby of the half, a bevy of offloads allowing them to cut through and score through scrum half Caity Mattinson before, a couple of minutes later, Emma Taylor drives over from short range. From constant pressure on the opposition line to three tries conceded in just ten minutes, it’s the crucial period in the match.
Leicester continue to work hard and build up into their opponents half but they just can’t get over the line as Trailfinders stay rock solid.
They’re finally breached with just five minutes to go, as McGhie finds herself at scrum half and picks, goes and has the gas to finish.
Trailfinders get a further score to put to bed any dreams of a comeback, Emma Taylor grabbing her second of the afternoon after again bulldozing over from close range.
The goal now switches to securing a try bonus point and the hosts lay everything on the table in the hunt but it’s to no avail, a kick through fielded well and then booted out to end the match.
