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Flood stars as Tigers sink Bath

Toby Flood scored all 21 points for Leicester © Getty Images

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A superb all-round performance from Leicester fly-half Toby Flood inspired a 21-15 victory over Bath at a rain-lashed Welford Road.

Flood kicked six penalties and a drop goal to issue a timely reminder of his class and put himself in pole position to reclaim the England No.10 jersey for the opening autumn international against New Zealand in two weeks' time. Bath centre Olly Barkley kept his side in touch with five penalties of his own but the visitors were unable to throw off the Leicester shackles and snap a seven game losing streak at the hands of their old rivals.

London Irish cemented their place at the top of the table with a hard-fought 12-9 victory over a brave Exeter Chiefs at Sandy Park. Fly-half Ryan Lamb kicked four penalties to steer the Exiles to victory in a fiercely-contested clash in front of a vociferous 10,103 fans.

Exeter fly-half Gareth Steenson kicked two penalties to keep the Chiefs in touch at the break and a drop goal from replacement Ryan Davis put his side on course for victory before Irish's clinical late rally. It was the Chief's first home defeat of the season, and at times their workrate threatened to thwart Exiles' attempts to adopt their usual free-flowing game.

A late try from No.8 Louis Deacon powered Gloucester to a 33-26 victory over Harlequins at Kingsholm. Deacon touched down with three minutes left, just when it looked as though Quins fly-half Nick Evans would make Gloucester pay for poor discipline. Gloucester played half the second period with 14 men after props Paul Doran-Jones and Nick Wood were sin-binned, and their transgressions gave Quins a lifeline.

Fly-half Evans scored 21 points from a try, four penalties and two conversions, while England scrum-half Danny Care also touched down. Evans' opposite number Nicky Robinson amassed 18 points, including conversions of tries from Dave Lewis, Charlie Sharples and Deacon, but Gloucester only just escaped from jail.

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