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Leicester took advantage of some woeful Gloucester finishing to win their opening match of the Guinness Premiership 20-8 at Kingsholm.

Gloucester conspired to waste at least three gilt-edged chances in a compelling contest in which both sides took some time to get to grips with the new law variations.

The Tigers trailed for most of the match following a well-taken try by Gloucester full-back Olly Morgan in the 26th minute and a Ryan Lamb penalty just after half-time.

But with Lamb missing several kicks at goal, on top of Gloucester's failure to finish off their chances, Leicester remained in touch and made the home side pay with two tries late in the game.

First Geordan Murphy (pictured) picked a superb line in the 68th minute to complete a move started with a Jordan Crane break, and then new-signing Toby Flood intercepted a James Simpson-Daniel pass to stroll over in the closing moments.

Flood kicked the conversion to go with his two first-half penalties, but the final score flattered Leicester and their new coach South African Heyeneke Meyer will not hide from the fact that they were fortunate to still be in the game.

Gloucester's two most glaring failures came in the second half. Luke Narraway failed to score from a three-to-one overlap, the number eight slipping and allowing the Tigers defence to get back and cover. Four minutes later prop Carlos Nieto ignored a two-man overlap with the try-line begging.

Gloucester have been criticised in the past for not finishing teams off and on this evidence Dean Ryan still has a lot of work to do if they are going to make the most of their obvious playing strengths.

Nor did the Cherry and Whites' lineout function with any guarantee of winning their own throw. The Tigers were able to kick for touch knowing they had a half-decent chance of securing their opponents' ball, with Richard Blaze and man-of-the-match Tom Croft causing Gloucester no end of problems.

Croft did his England chances a world of good with an impressive all-round display. As well as disrupting the Gloucester lineout, the Tigers flanker was a nuisance in defence and saved a certain try in the first half when he tackled Gloucester skipper Mike Tindall into touch in the corner.

Gloucester also saw a try go begging in the first half when hooker Andy Titterrell was held up over the line following Morgan's superb take of a Lamb high ball.

But on this occasion it was the Tigers' defence that deserved credit for preventing the score, as first Tom Varndell and then Marcos Ayerza got back to keep the ball off the deck.

Morgan's try came after Gloucester had been awarded a scrum near the Tigers line. Simpson-Daniel fed Morgan in space on the right wing but the full-back still had a lot to do as he stepped inside the tackles of Alesana Tuilagi and Murphy.

It was Leicester's third consecutive victory at Kingsholm and the Cherry and Whites will have to be far more clinical next weekend at Bath - where they have never won in the league - if they are to avoid losing their opening two games.

Terence O'Rorke / Eurosport