Leicester Tigers Academy recorded a first win of the season in the Under-18 League at Newcastle on Saturday.

Playing at Kingston Park as part of a double-header following the Falcons’ Gallagher Premiership fixture against Northampton Saints, Tigers triumphed 27-24 as both teams ran in four tries.

Tigers took an early lead with scores from back-rower Simon Koroiyadi and centre Samuel Jacques in the opening quarter of an hour, with fly-half Ben Taylor adding one conversion.

Back-rower Chester Owen added a third score as the lead reached 17 points on 25 minutes before Falcons fought back with tries either side of half-time to cut the gap to just five points.

After a Joseph Woodward penalty for Tigers, their hosts claimed their third try to trim the gap to 20-17 before Taylor added the bonus-point try for Leicester, with Woodward converting.

That made it 27-17 but there was still time for Newcastle to claim their own bonus-point score.

Falcons tries came from Ben Redshaw, Natty Greenwood, Tom Burton and Isaac Keller, plus two conversions from Harry Williams.