Goode times for Tigers
Leicester Tigers boosted their hopes of retaining the Guinness Premiership title with a 32-14 success against Bristol.
Last Updated: 19/04/08 5:28pm
Leicester Tigers boosted their hopes of retaining the Guinness Premiership title with a 32-14 success against Bristol.
The bonus-point victory moves the Tigers back into the top four with just a trip to Newcastle and a home date against Harlequins still to come in the regular season.
Leicester ran in five tries through Aaron Mauger, Ben Herring, Tom Varndell, Andy Goode and a penalty score.
Fly-half Goode also kicked a penalty and two conversions for a personal haul of 12 points.
Eves debut
Bristol, who handed a Guinness Premiership debut to Luke Eves in the centre, soon found themselves behind in their bid to win at Welford Road for just the second time in 21 years.
Leicester centre Dan Hipkiss and wing Alesana Tuilagi combined to put Mauger over in the corner after six minutes. Goode screwed the conversion wide.
Bristol fly-half Ed Barnes was off-target with a 14th-minute penalty effort from the touchline before Goode converted a simpler chance at the other end to extend his side's lead to 8-0 midway through the opening half.
That became 13-0 on 24 minutes when openside flanker Herring was driven over. Goode's attempt to add the extra two was again unsuccessful.
But the mercurial stand-off did manage to convert the Tigers' third try four minutes later. Harry Ellis' quick thinking at a scrum sent Tuilagi racing away down the right wing and he passed inside for Varndell to cross unchallenged under the sticks.
Bristol were denied a try in the dying moments of the half when full back Luke Arscott was held up by Tom Croft.
The visitors finally got on the board in the 49th minute when when scrum-half Shaun Perry crossed from close range. Ed Barnes' conversion reduced their deficit to 20-7.
But Leicester secured the bonus-point with a penalty try in the 57th minute, Goode slotting the conversion for a 27-7 advantage.
And the one-time England fly-half iced the result by adding a fifth try on 69 minutes, although Bristol had the final word in injury time through Graeme Beveridge's converted try.
