Premiership: Leicester Tigers hang on for 14-8 home win over Worcester Warriors

Leicester Tigers have now lost just once at Welford Road since October - to Premiership leaders Exeter

Leicester Tigers produced a gritty second-half defensive performance to conjure a fourth home win of the season as they beat Worcester in a dour Premiership scrap at Welford Road.

In a game of just two tries, visiting winger Perry Humphreys scored the first on 13 minutes against his old club.

But Johnny McPhillips landed the first of three penalties, before Tigers led through winger Jordan Olowofela's try.

Duncan Weir's penalty levelled at 8-8 before two more kicks for McPhillips.

The third of those penalties clinched victory but it was not enough to prevent Warriors getting a fourth successive losing bonus point.

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Worcester had won on both their past two Premiership visits to Welford Road, having never previously won there in more than a century of trying.

In fact, Warriors had won the past five meetings between the two clubs in all competitions, but the Tigers did just enough to end that sorry sequence.

And, although they have now lost five games on the trot, that one Warriors bonus point keeps Alan Solomons' side just ahead of 11th-placed Tigers in the table.

Tigers were berated by their fans for kicking out of the hand too much - but their overall improved showing in the second half on another day of difficult weather conditions was what won them the points.

After going ahead again through McPhillips' second penalty, they were closest to scoring a second try.

Worcester winger Perry Humphreys scored the first of the game's two tries against old club

But Olowofela lost the ball over the line - and, after a delayed TMO decision, the try was chalked off.

After losing lock Anton Bresler in the first half, Warriors' problems in the second-row department were multiplied.

Graham Kitchener had to come off as well just after the start of the second period, while once-capped England flanker Ted Hill has a hip problem.

But Tigers were also affected by the loss of the injured Noel Reid on 10 minutes, which brought about the early entry of McPhillips, while Joe Thomas came on for the final 12 minutes for his first appearance.

Warriors head coach Geordan Murphy afterwards confirmed the club's interest in signing Fiji winger Nemani Nadolo from Montpellier for next season.

Tigers head coach Geordan Murphy told BBC Radio Leicester:

"The conditions were particularly difficult again. It was then always going to be difficult with the wind, although not as wild and windy as in previous weeks.

"A little more rugby was played and, for our second-half performance, we deserved it. We knew we were going to finish stronger than Worcester and that proved to be the case."

"You do the right thing to win. When you're running into a 14-man wall the right thing to do is look for territory behind."

On Nemani Nadolo: "We have been linked with Nemani. He is a great player and if we can get him across the line, then great."

Warriors director of rugby Alan Solomons told BBC Hereford & Worcester:

"We not only lost Graham Kitchener and Anton Bresler but Ted Hill was struggling with his hip.

"The change in the locks had a massive impact. We had a problem. Marko Mama and Cornell Du Preez are not locks and Sam Lewis definitely is not.

"Suddenly, they had purchase in the scrums which they never had in the first half. If I am honest, That was a game-changer."

Leicester Tigers: Veainu; Holmes, Worth, Eastmond, Olowofela; Reid, White; Bateman, Kerr, Cole (capt), Lavanini, Wells, Liebenberg, Taufua, Kalamafoni.

Replacements: Reffell for Taufua (41), Leatigaga for Bateman (61), Polota-Nau for Kerr (65), Thomas for Worth (68), Batley for Lavanini (71), Heyes for Cole (72).

Not used: Simmons, McPhillips.

Worcester: Shillcock; Humphreys, Lawrence, Mills, David; Weir, Hougaard; Waller, Moulds (capt), Schonert, Bresler, G Kitchener, Hill, Mama, du Preez.

Replacements: A Kitchener for Bresler (20), Lewis for G Kitchener (41), Palframan for Schonert (58), Van Breda for David (61), Lance for Weir (64), Annett for Moulds (65), Owen for Waller (77), Heaney for Mama (77).

Attendance: 18,268.

Referee: Adam Leal.

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