Leicester Tigers were defeated by eight points, 21-13, in the Gallagher Premiership semi-final against Sale Sharks on Sunday afternoon.
In a physical, tight affair, Sale crossed for two tries to Tigers one, in front of a jam-packed AJ Bell Stadium, bringing to close the season for the East Midlands club.
Tom Roebuck and Arron Reed were the try-scorers for the home side, while Harry Potter crossed for the visitors.
Sharks fly-half George Ford added eleven points from the tee, including three penalties, while Leicester’s Jimmy Gopperth contributed eight points of his own with two penalty goals and a conversion.
Tigers were leading 6-0 after ten minutes thanks to back-to-back penalties from Gopperth before Roebuck crossed in the 19th minute and Ford converted from out wide to see Sale lead by a lone-point, 7-6, after 20 minutes.
A yellow card for Dan Cole just before half-time saw Leicester down a man approaching the break and, soon after half-time, Ford extended the lead to four points, 10-6, with a penalty goal in the 46th minute.
Potter’s try and a conversion from Gopperth with just under half an hour to play saw Tigers back in the lead, 13-10, but a penalty from Ford tied it up approaching the hour mark.
Reed’s score in the 62nd minute meant the Sharks were back in the lead by five points with little over ten minutes remaining before Ford added his final points of the match in the 69th minute to extend the lead to eight points, where it remained despite a late fightback from the visitors.