Cavaliers surrendered their unbeaten record in the Premiership Rugby Shield but not before they had put up a ferocious fight against Tigers at Sixways.

Cavaliers spent most of the second half at the wrong end of the pitch and the wrong end of the penalty count but set up a thrilling finale when they were awarded a penalty try two minutes from time after Leicester collapsed a driving maul.

Leicester also lost two front row forwards, Darren Dawidiuk and Keston Lines to the sin bin in the dying seconds, but Cavaliers had to settle for a losing bonus point.

First half tries from Isaac Miller and Gareth Simpson appeared to have laid the foundations for a fifth straight win for Cavaliers but Leicester managed to dominate territory and possession for much of the second half and worked themselves over for two close range try from their forward pressure.

Cavaliers now have a two month break before they return to Shield action and will play four of their five remaining matches away from Sixways.

Despite the finger-numbing cold, Cavaliers remained committed to playing the fast, open game that has served them so well this season.

But it was an old-fashioned pick-and-go try that got them on their way with Isaac Miller driving over from close range to reward a period of sustained pressure.

Scott van Breda added the conversion but Leicester were level again within two minutes as they worked flanker Taylor Gough over the line and Johnny McPhillips added the conversion.

With van Breda, Ed Fidow and Noah Heward posing problems for the Leicester defence, Cavaliers continued to create opening and it was van Breda who set up the second try with a neat break and deft pass to the supporting Gareth Simpson who powered over.

Van Breda converted but McPhillips reduced the deficit with a penalty on the half-hour and Cavaliers lost Samoa international wing Fidow who was helped off by two medics just before the break.

With limited possession and heavy penalty count against them at the breakdown Cavaliers struggled for continuity after the break.

Leicester kicked a succession of penalties into the corners and used their driving maul to keep Cavaliers in retreat.

Martin and Gough – with his second try of the night – crossed in the space of five minutes midway through the half but Cavaliers turned the tide with Matt Cox and the fit-again pair of Caleb Montgomery and Matti Williams leading the charge.

Cavaliers gave Leicester a taste of their own medicine by kicking a penalty to the corner, applying the squeeze at the maul and getting the penalty try and a valuable bonus point.

Cavaliers | 15 Noah Heward, 14 Ed Fidow (David 35), 13 Scott van Breda, 12 Will Butler, 11 Matt McNab (Hartpury), 10 Luke Scully (Morris 61), 9 Gareth Simpson, 1 Kai Owen (Holsey 41), 2 Isaac Miller (Cutting 41), 3 Mitch Walsh (Hartpury) (Bingham 56), 4 Matt Cox, 5 James Scott, 6 Morgan Monks (Boxall 79), 7 Matti Williams (Burnett 78), 8 Tom Dodd (C) (Montgomery 41).

Replacements | 16 Beck Cutting, 17 Lewis Holsey, 18 Nick Bingham (Sheffield Tigers), 19 Aiden Burnett (Hartpury), 20 Caleb Montgomery, 21 Callum Morris, 22 Max Boxall (Hartpury), 23 Nick David.

Timeline
14m | Miller try 5-0
15m | Van Breda con 7-0
16m | Gough try 7-5
17m | McPhillips con 7-7
27m | Simpson try 12-7
28m | Van Breda con 14-7
31m | McPhillips pen 14-10
54m | Martin try 14-15
55m | McPhillips con 14-17
59m | Gough try 14-22
60m | McPhillips con 14-24
79m | Penalty try 21-24

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