Bath produced a remarkable rearguard action to silence Leicester's roar at the Walkers Stadium and reach their first Heineken Cup semi-final since they were crowned European champions eight years ago.
The west country club held out despite having props David Flatman and Taufa'ao Filise sin-binned late on and finishing a punishing contest with 13 men.
Leicester's revered forwards laid siege to the Bath line but could not break down their defensive resistance — although the jubilant visitors were helped by Tigers fly-half Andy Goode wasting a three-man overlap as the seconds ticked
away.
Fly-half Chris Malone kicked all Bath's points through five penalties - while Goode responded with four for a shell-shocked Tigers, who started the clash as red-hot favourites.
Flatman and Filise were both dismissed for scrummaging offences between the 69th and 71st minutes - and although Leicester pleaded for a penalty try during an incessant spell of pressure, Bath prevailed on the back of heroic individual displays by key forwards Danny Grewcock and Andy Beattie.
They now face Biarritz or Sale Sharks - who clash in San Sebastian tomorrow - at the semi-final stage later this month.
But whatever happens, Bath have guaranteed their best Heineken Cup campaign since Andy Robinson coached them to victory over Brive in 1998.
Leicester, Heineken Cup winners in 2001 and 2002, are now left to concentrate on domestic success this term — and it will take a huge effort for them to recover mentally from such a shattering loss.
