Leicester got themselves back in a winning habit after their shock loss at Worcester eight days ago by beating Gloucester in a superb match at Welford Road.

The game did not start well for the Tigers as Ludovic Mercier struck a huge 45-yard penalty from almost on the right touchline which sailed between the posts and put the visitors ahead.

But, after that early blip Leicester burst into life. England lock Ben Kay leapt high at a lineout in the Gloucester 22 for his pack to irresistibly surge around prop Michael Holford and drive him over the line.

Austin Healey was determined to enjoy himself and, midway through the first half, he raced through a gap in the Gloucester defence and gave full-back Olly Morgan a golden opportunity to score only for the youngster to fail to collect the ball.

The roaring Tigers extended their lead with another try after the ball was spun across the field and debutant flanker Tom Croft put in a delicate overhead pass for flyer Tom Varndell to sprint 22 metres into the corner.

Gloucester were clinging onto the Tigers' tails and clawed back another three points when Leicester needlessly gave away a penalty on halfway for Mercier to punt over.

It gave the Cherry and Whites a bit of impetus as flanker James Forrester hounded the home back division and Mercier missed with another penalty and dropped a 54-yard goal inside his own half well short of the posts.

Yet, as they started to get their act together, Gloucester gave Goode two chances to kick long-range penalties just before the break, one of which he accepted to put his side 15-6 up.

But the sucker punch came from Gloucester. Almost from nothing, as scrum-half Peter Richards tried to set his backs going, the ball found its way to centre James Simpson-Daniel.

The winger screamed through the Leicester midfield and, cutting inside, he passed to Anthony Allen who weaved left, past the defence to go over for his first-ever Premiership touchdown which Mercier converted to send the Kingsholm club into the break just two points down at 15-13.

Leicester pressed on the visiting line for Healey to throw out a pass to Varndell on the right. He drifted wide and, dummying to the touchline, went past Peter Richards for a corner touchdown that Goode converted.

The action was pulsating but something had to give. It proved to be Gloucester's nerve on the hour when they killed the ball at a ruck and handed Goode the simplest of penalties from 10 yards in front of the posts that extended the Tigers' lead to eight points.

Both teams became entrenched on halfway as the game lost a bit of gas but, as it seemed Leicester were about to win it, another brilliant back-line move by the visitors saw Simpson-Daniel put full-back Olly Morgan in at the corner.

An outstanding conversion from the touchline by Mercier brought Gloucester back to within a try of their opponents. Goode tried to finish it off with a penalty wide out but that strayed past the posts.

But they need not have feared as the excellent Tigers pack turned the screw.

Leicester held all the aces as Gloucester struggled to get out of their own half during the dying moments to seal the victory that puts them right back in the Premiership race.