Leicester Tigers forward Harry Wells admits that the loss at Bath was a ‘missed opportunity’ for a crucial away win in the Gallagher Premiership.

Heading into the Round 9 fixture with a bonus-point win over Bristol in their last domestic outing – and after securing a European quarter-final at Welford Road – Geordan Murphy’s men wrestled back the lead in the second half at The Rec, only for Tom Homer’s second score to decide the contest in the home side’s favour.

“We’ve been down here on the last few visits, and it’s always been a closely-contest game,” said Wells, who also started in the Premiership Rugby Cup win on the same ground earlier this season.

“It’s very disappointing for us to be on the wrong side of that type of game, and we’ll look at that as a missed opportunity.

“We lost a couple of really key moments, and it’s down to us to put those right moving forwards.”

Despite the final result and consolation bonus-point, Wells suggested there are still plenty of positives to hold on to heading into a two-week break in the fixture list.

“They obviously got a score in the corner, which was difficult for us to come back from, but other than that our defence was pretty sound throughout the game,” he continued.

“We D-ed up really well and put in some good shots. This is a really hostile place to come, and they keep coming and keep coming and only just tipped us at the end.

“There have been a lot of positives in the last few weeks – making a quarter-final in Europe has been really good for us – and while we were obviously on the wrong side of the scoreboard [against Bath], there are plenty of positives for us to take forward.

“We can look back at those and try and replicate those good things in the following weeks and right the wrongs that we made.”

And while Tigers now go without a game this weekend (and next) for the first time in 19 weeks – a first break since September – the versatile forward acknowledged that the squad must maintain the progress that has been evident in recent weeks.

“Mentally, we’re in a really good spot,” he said. “We’re gaining momentum and we’re starting to gel together really, really well.

“Physically, such a long run of games has taken its toll on us, it’s been quite a tough season and the attrition-rate has been quite high, and while the break will be welcome for us, we’ll [need to] carry on that momentum when we get back.”

Tigers are next in action on Saturday, February 15 (3.00pm) when Wasps visit Welford Road in Round 10 of the Gallagher Premiership.

Match tickets are currently available from £23 for adults and £10 for junior supporters, directly from the Tigers ticket office.