Leicester Tigers scored seven tries, including a double for hooker Charlie Clare, in a high-scoring affair against Connacht Rugby in the knockout stages of the 2020/21 European Challenge Cup.
A brace for the front-rower saw Clare claim Man of the Match honours in the sixteen-point, 48-32 win at Mattioli Woods Welford Road, while Matias Moroni, Guy Porter and Zack Henry crossed for their debut tries in Tigers colours.
Leicester forwards Jasper Wiese and Harry Wells added the final two tries to ensure victory and knock Connacht out of the Challenge Cup and see Tigers through to the next stage, to take on Newcastle Falcons for the second time in three weeks.
It took some big defensive sets at the close of the half to keep out enterprising visitors before a penalty on 40 minutes made it 24-11 at the break.
Chasing a quarter-final place in Europe for a 15th time, Tigers had their lead cut to six points in the opening stages of the second half and it was down to two points before Clare added his second try of the evening.
But Connacht, who had begun the season in the Heineken Champions Cup and have enjoyed strong form on the road this season, scored again through skipper Paul Boyle in the closing 10 minutes to set up an intriguing finale.
