TORFAEN Tigers faced a tricky start to life in Conference League South when they travelled to last year's play-off semi finalists Leicester Storm.

The Tigers travelled with an experimental 17 due to injuries, holidays and work commitments but found themselves with an early lead when hooker Shaun Watkins gathered his own kick to cross beneath the sticks, Matt Cummins adding the extras. Leicester hit back quickly though when Roddy Jonas crossed and Mark Etherington converted.

The Tigers' lead was restored when Watkins dived over from dummy half for his second, Cummins again converting, and moments later Jordan Thomas had one bizarrely disallowed.

And there was still time in the half for Leicester to score again through Reece Williams with Etherington's conversion levelling it up at 12-12.

Leicester started the second half well and heaped pressure on the Torfaen goal line but the defence held firm.

Storm second row then saw red for laying his hands on the referee and the Tigers crossed through Sam Hancox following a fine crossfield kick from half back Luke Brown.

With a 16-12 lead against 12 men, a Tigers win seemed a smart bet but the home side rallied well and the Tigers naivety at this level showed when silly mistakes allowed Josh West, Etherington and Jonas again. Etherington added two more goals to give the home side a 28-16 victory.

Tigers Coach Kyle Scrivens said: "I couldn't fault the lads' effort today and the difference was they punished mistakes we would have got away with in the Welsh Conference last year."

Fellow coach Jamie Williams added: "We were competitive with a makeshift side and proved we deserve to be at this level, we will regroup in training this week and look forward to our Welsh derby against the Raiders, who showed with a big win against the Cougars that they will be no pushovers."

The Tigers entertain the Llanell-based Raiders on Sunday 2.30pm at the Kings Head Ground in Cwmbran.