England scrum-half hopeful Harry Ellis scored a try during the dying seconds as Leicester went top of the Zurich Premiership in dramatic fashion at Welford Road.

Ellis, who is expected to make a Test debut against Canada next month, sniped his way over on the blindside of a scrum four minutes into stoppage time, although the try was only awarded after a lengthy delay while the video referee made his decision.

Fly-half Ross Broadfoot could not land the touchline conversion which would have given Tigers their fifth successive league win, but a draw was satisfactory, given they trailed 13-0 at half-time.

Irish international full-back Geordan Murphy began the second-half revival with a penalty and a try, but Bath still led by five points approaching the end of normal time.

A Broadfoot penalty had cut the deficit to 16-11 before Ellis showed impish opportunism and secured two points for a draw which took Leicester above early pacesetters Sale Sharks.

Bath will kick themselves back to the west country for not taking a golden opportunity.

Flanker Michael Lipman's fifth-minute try established early control, while 11 points from fly-half Olly Barkley - including a drop-goal - looked to have steered them home.

But Leicester dug deep, and despite losing their England prop Julian White with a shoulder injury, they preserved an unbeaten record which stretches back to the Premiership's opening weekend.

Bath completed a league double over Leicester last season, but they arrived in the midlands as rank outsiders, given Tigers' impressive recent run of results.

England World Cup lock Ben Kay gained a starting place, offering caretaker national coach Andy Robinson a direct comparison with Bath's Steve Borthwick, just five weeks before the autumn Test opener against Canada at Twickenham.

Injury again sidelined Leicester wing Austin Healey, so Tigers fielded fly-half Sam Vesty on the wing, while Bath were unchanged after recording their 14th successive home league win against Gloucester last Saturday.

The visitors, after absorbing initial Leicester pressure, made a dream start following wing Brendon Daniel's powerful run out of defence.

Daniel weaved 50 metres to just inside Leicester's half, and quickly recycled possession saw Bath's South African centre Robbie Fleck make an incisive break through weak tackling and send a supporting Lipman crashing over for a try which Barkley converted.

It got worse for the home side when Barkley landed a 35-metre penalty on 11 minutes, and Leicester tempers began to fray, while Bath appeared comfortable and composed in comparison.

Tigers were rocked by facing such a substantial early deficit, and their first dangerous attacking platform was not created until the 24th minute when Broadfoot, who had earlier missed a penalty, took play deep into Bath territory.

Bath though, with locks Danny Grewcock and Borthwick relishing the battle, predictably cleared any danger through Barkley, and a huge Mike Tindall touchfinder had Leicester back-pedalling.

Barkley should have extended Bath's lead nine minutes before half-time, but he fluffed an easy penalty chance, giving Leicester an opportunity to at least end the first period by mounting a threatening passage of play.

Tigers then sacrificed a kickable penalty for an attacking scrum five metres out, yet Bath were in the mood to absorb anything Leicester could throw at them.

After the home side failed to prosper from five set-scrums, Barkley's mammoth 70-metre kick to touch once again gave the visitors territorial control.

Leicester just could not make headway, and Barkley ended the half with a 50-metre penalty strike to give Bath a 13-0 interval lead.

Tigers opened their account on 46 minutes when Murphy landed an angled penalty, and then he scored a try after number eight Martin Corry ran at the heart of Bath's defence, allowing a crisp handling move to create an overlap from which Murphy prospered by crossing in the corner.

Barkley opened up an eight-point gap by landing a 61st-minute drop-goal, taking the wind out of Leicester's sails after the home side had threatened a revival.

Broadfoot drifted a penalty chance wide 11 minutes from time, which increased frustration levels among a capacity 16,815 crowd.

Leicester entered the closing 10 minutes by establishing a foothold inside Bath's 22, and Broadfoot's clever kick towards the posts almost produced a try-scoring chance.

Bath though, displayed composure in defence, before Broadfoot booted a short-range penalty as the clock ticked down, cutting Leicester's deficit to five points.

Leicester's forwards went for broke in the dying minutes, rumbling their way ominously towards the Bath line, and the visitors had to defend grimly in injury-time before Ellis belatedly broke their hearts.

Teams:

Leicester: Murphy, Holtby, Smith, Rabeni, Vesty, Broadfoot, Ellis, Rowntree, Chuter, White, M. Johnson, Kay, B. Deacon, Back, Corry.

Replacements: Morris for White (49), L. Deacon for B. Deacon (52).

Not Used: Buckland, W. Johnson, Bemand, Cornwell, Hipkiss.

Tries: Murphy, Ellis.

Pens: Murphy, Broadfoot.

Bath: Best, Higgins, Fleck, Tindall, Daniel, Barkley, Wood, Barnes, Humphreys, Bell, Borthwick, Grewcock, Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati.

Replacements: Malone for Barkley (80), Stevens for Barnes (54).

Not Used: Walshe, Hawkins, Davey, Scaysbrook, Fidler.

Tries: Lipman.

Cons: Barkley.

Pens: Barkley 2.

Drop Goals: Barkley.

Att: 16,815

Ref: C White (England).