Harlequins made sure of a Heineken Champions Cup spot with a hard-fought win over play-off bound Leicester.

Tigers played the second half with 14 men after Chris Ashton’s red card for a high tackle, but Handre Pollard’s penalty cut the lead.

Marcus Smith’s penalty made it 20-10, but Quins had to hang on after Tommy Reffell’s late try.

Only a 64-point defeat would have dropped the Tigers below Northampton into fourth place, and they predictably avoided that fate to set up a play-off semi-final trip to second-placed finishers Sale on Sunday, 14 May.

However, Leicester are likely to be without the retiring Ashton who was sent off just before the break for a high tackle on Murley.

If the 36-year-old’s red card is upheld he will miss the play-offs and this will be the former England wing’s final match in professional rugby union.

Despite seeing their six-match winning run ended to a side which had lost seven consecutive away matches, Leicester will be heartened that a side showing six changes and which played almost an hour a man short almost pulled off a dramatic late win.

For 2021 champions Quins, a third win in 11 league outings – and only a second victory at Leicester in 10 years – put a positive note on a disappointing campaign and a sixth-place finish.

The Londoners went ahead through a penalty try as the Tigers collapsed a driving maul in sight of the line, an offence which earned Cameron Henderson a yellow card.

The 14-man hosts replied immediately when skipper Montoya finished an irresistible line-out catch and drive, started by his own throw.

Moments after spilling the ball with the line begging, Louis Lynagh made the break which gave the Premiership’s top try-scorer Murley a stroll in for his 15th of the season to restore Harlequins’ lead.

Handre Pollard’s penalty made it 17-10 after the break, but the Tigers were forced into some relentless defence to stay in the game, typified by Harry Potter’s try-saving tackle on Danny Care.

Smith’s second penalty with 10 minutes left took Quins two scores clear and looked to be enough in an attritional second half.

The game looked to be drifting to its conclusion until Reffell finished off a relentless driving maul with four minutes left and Jimmy Gopperth’s conversion cut the gap to three.

Back-to-back penalties took Leicester up to the Quins 10-metre line and saw Joe Marler yellow-carded, but the visitors hung on.

Leicester Tigers head coach Richard Wigglesworth told BBC Radio Leicester:

“We were slightly off and part of that was Quins doing a really good job. They played really well and managed the game beautifully and we didn’t.

“We weren’t where we wanted to be and we’ll have to be significantly better next week.

(On Chris Ashton’s red card): “We want to protect the players but it didn’t feel there was a whole lot of force in it.

“We are going to have a good look at it because Chris has an important part to play for us if he’s available, but I wouldn’t appeal it to get him available. I’d appeal it if we think it’s a yellow and not a red.”

Harlequins head coach Tabai Matson:

“It’s only the second time we have won here in a decade. It was clearly ugly, but very pleasing.

“We took our opportunities when they had 14 players on the field, but they don’t make it easy here.

“We were playing for more than they were and that probably helped. If you don’t have your house in order here, they hand it to you.

“We stayed in the fight and I’m really proud of the team.”

Leicester: Brown, Ashton, Porter, Kelly, Potter, Pollard, Youngs; West, Montoya (c), Cole, Wells, Henderson, Liebenberg, Reffell, Wiese.

Replacements: Clare, van Wyk, Heyes, Carnduff, Cracknell, van Poortvliet, Gopperth, Scott.

Sin-bin: Henderson (12). Red card: Ashton

Harlequins: David, Murley, Marchant, Esterhuizen, Bassett, Smith, Care; Marler, Riley, Collier, Lamb, Herbst, Kenningham, Evans, Dombrandt (c).

Replacements: Musk, Baxter, Hobson, Hammond, Trenholm, Gjaltema, Northmore, Lynagh.

Referee: Ian Tempest.