Richard Cockerill says Leicester Tigers "paid the price" for errors in control during the Aviva Premiership derby defeat at Northampton Saints on Saturday.
Tigers led three times at Franklin’s Gardens and played for more than an hour against 14 men following Dylan Hartley’s red card, but it was Saints who took the victory, 23-19, with a late try from replacement Jamie Elliott.
“We’re disappointed because when you play against 14 men you have to play the game that takes advantage of them being a player short,” said Tigers director of rugby Cockerill.
“But we seemed unable to make those right decisions and we gave them the ball to run back at us.
“We take the point, but it is very disappointing point because we had a really good opportunity to win the game."
Tigers claimed a penalty try at a scrum following the red card incident and then put wing Vereniki Goneva in for two second-half tries on the left. Saints, in return, scored through prop Alex Waller, Ben Foden and finally Elliott.
“We scored three tries but we need to control the game better," said Cockerill. "Defensively we were poor in the second half, we got very narrow and they outplayed us with ball in hand.
“If you give ball to good sides and let them run at you are going to get punished. They have a powerful side, they carry ball very well, but we need to manage it better. We paid the price for that.
“We did some good stuff but did not manage it well enough and if you give them opportunities they will come back at you. They are good enough to do that.”
Tigers led three times at Franklin’s Gardens and played for more than an hour against 14 men following Dylan Hartley’s red card, but it was Saints who took the victory, 23-19, with a late try from replacement Jamie Elliott.
“We’re disappointed because when you play against 14 men you have to play the game that takes advantage of them being a player short,” said Tigers director of rugby Cockerill.
“But we seemed unable to make those right decisions and we gave them the ball to run back at us.
“We take the point, but it is very disappointing point because we had a really good opportunity to win the game."
Tigers claimed a penalty try at a scrum following the red card incident and then put wing Vereniki Goneva in for two second-half tries on the left. Saints, in return, scored through prop Alex Waller, Ben Foden and finally Elliott.
“We scored three tries but we need to control the game better," said Cockerill. "Defensively we were poor in the second half, we got very narrow and they outplayed us with ball in hand.
“If you give ball to good sides and let them run at you are going to get punished. They have a powerful side, they carry ball very well, but we need to manage it better. We paid the price for that.
“We did some good stuff but did not manage it well enough and if you give them opportunities they will come back at you. They are good enough to do that.”
