Leicester Tigers made it two wins from two games in their Premiership Rugby Cup campaign with an 18-14 victory over Sale Sharks.
Ollie Hassell-Collins and Josh Bassett scored a try each, while two penalties from Charlie Atkinson ensured the Tigers edged out their Premiership rivals.
Atkinson drew first blood for the visitors with his second attempt of the match that went straight through the posts in the 37th minute.
It took only two minutes after the restart for Atkinson to double the advantage with another penalty, leaving the Tigers 6-0 to the good.
But the hosts briefly turned the match on its head when Ethan Caine scored the game’s first try after a spell of sustained pressure, before Tom Curtis made the conversion to give the Sharks a 7-6 lead.
The response from Leicester was impressive, as Hassell-Collins showcased his pace on the left flank to race past the Leicester backs before Handre Pollard added a successful conversion.
There appeared to be no way back for Sale, with debutant Bassett brilliantly moving his way through the Sharks defence to increase their lead to 11 points.
With Pollard’s conversion missed, the hosts added some respectability to the scoreline late on thanks to a try and conversion from Tumy Onasanya and Curtis respectively.
Newcastle Falcons dispatched Championship side Bedford Blues with a 26-16 win.
The Premiership side were made to sweat after trailing with only 20 minutes of play remaining, but impressively turned it around to secure a second win from as many games.
The Blues moved in front thanks to Louis Grimoldby’s penalty, before Ollie Fletcher hit back with a try for the Falcons and Josh Thomas added the conversion.
Grimoldby was left to rue a missed penalty, as the hosts made them pay with a try from Zach Kerr following some neat link-up play with Adam Radwan.
Thomas would miss the conversion, before Grimoldby’s and Sean French’s penalties, plus a try from the latter, which Grimoldby converted, turned the game on its head.
Sebastian de Chaves began the comeback to regain the Falcons’ lead with a superb try, before Louie Johnson notched the conversion.
Radwan then showed superb opportunism to chase down a kick and score a try himself, and Johnson finished off with another conversion to complete a fine night’s work.
Hartpury University came out on top in the all-Championship match against Nottingham with a 21-17 victory at the Lady Bay Sports Ground.
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