Newly promoted Tonbridge Juddians visited Westleigh Park for the first time in their history and left with a well earned 5 points after a clinical second half performance.

The visitors opted to take the wind first half and, when a long kick off wasn't dealt with, applied early pressure on the Lions line. The Lions defenced resolutely before finally conceding the first score came when a break was made out wide and the excellent Tonbridge scrum half, Lewis Gjaltema, was on hand to race away.

The Lions responded well though and after a period of exerted pressure in their opponents 22, scrum half Fin Ogden found Joey Britton on a hard line to crash over and level the score.

The visitors re-took the lead when hooker Will Holling scored from the back of a driving maul and Sam Evans penalty then pushed Tonbridge out to a 10 point lead.

The two and fro nature of the first half continued as the Lions hit back again, this time through hooker Liam Burrows, finishing off a driving maul late in the half. An excellent Bouchier conversion from out wide meant the Lions were just 3 points down at the break.

Tonbridge had certainly been the better side in the first half but the Lions had stayed in the game and, with the wind now at their backs, must have been confident of taking control of the contest in the second period. Unfortunately, from the home supporter's perspective, this was not to be.

Despite not dealing with the kick off and leaving themselves a lineout in their own 22, the visitors made a clean line break which was backed up by a breakdown infringement on half way. The resulting kick to the corner was then driven over resulting in a second score for Holling.

A well drilled Tonbridge side, stacked with experience, continuously navigated their way up the pitch and a young Lions team, which featured 8 debutants, showed it's naivety by continuously turning the ball over.

A score by replacement scrum half Connor Lloyd was quickly followed by a yellow card for Lions full back Joey Patrick who was adjudged to have played the ball on the ground. From the resulting driving maul Tonbridge moved the ball wide for winger Tom Kendrick to score.

The Lions, now chasing the game, forced their attack a little too much and two scores, directly from turnovers, for Nathan Earle, gave the scoreline a slightly flattering look but Tonbridge certainly deserved the full 5 points for a very commanding performance.

Head coach Gareth Collins commented: ''We've had a really good pre-season with a largely new group of players so we are disppaointed not to have put out a performance that reflected the hard work we've put in over the summer. The lads will learn a lot from today though. Tonbridge have an excellent squad, with a lot of experience, and our boys will have learnt that you can't make that many errors against such a quality opposition. It's a long season though and we'll reflect and be up for next weeks' challenge away at Moseley.''

Leicester Lions team:
Patrick, Afifrah-Mensah, Crowley, Mannion, Stubbs, Bouchier, Ogden, Roberts, Burrows, Dawson, Britton, Bryan, De Beer, Humphreys, Godefroy (c). Replacements: Park, Murray, Tebbatt, Natui, St John.

Tonbridge Juddians team:
Earle, Kendrick, Osgood, Sims, Barnes, Evans, Gjaltema, Boon, Holling, Bratton, Scopes, Cavubati, Merrick, Everitt, Laventure (c). Replacements: Wheeler, Whitmarsh, Culverhouse, Nicoll, Lloyd, D. Tout.

Leicester Lions scores:
Tries (player name and time): Britton (17), Burrows (38)
Conversions: Bouchier (18, 39)

Tonbridge Juddians scores:
Tries: Gjaltema (9), Holling (25,43), Lloyd (52), Kendrick (59), Earle (60,77)
Conversions: Evans (10,26,60), Lloyd (77)
Penalties: Evans (34)