Leeds Carnegie arrived at London Irish already knowing their fate for next season but Stuart Lancaster's side were determined not to head out of the Guinness Premiership with a whimper against an Exiles side who last week narrowly lost in the Heineken Cup Final against Toulouse.
The visitors started the game in great form looking to test Irish's resolve after that crushing defeat seven days earlier. Leeds opened the scoring after just seven minutes when Tom Biggs became the record try scorer of all time for the club, coming in off his wing to take a short pass from a scrum before stepping through the cover to sprint over from 20 metres out. Hinton converted to make it 7-0.
However, the lead only lasted seven minutes but it was a Leeds mistake that cost them the score. Hinton's clearly kick went straight down field into the arms of Topsy Ojo who attacked into space. Irish kept the ball alive through the forwards and eventually prop Faan Rautenbach crashed over. Hickey converted to make it 7-7.
Hinton missed a penalty chance to retake the lead after 21 minutes and then eight minutes later it was Irish who took the lead for the first time when Ojo crashed over in the corner after shrugging off the tackle of James Brooks. Hickey missed the conversion to leave it 12-7.
Leeds were dealt a further blow with six minutes remaining in the half when Hendre Fourie was sin binned for persistent infringements by his team mates.
Irish made it count and scored within a minute when Declan Danaher made the extra man out wide to score in the corner. Hickey missed the conversion but the home side now led 17-7.
Leeds did give themselves a lifeline with a Hinton penalty on the stroke of half time and continued that good work after the break when they produced some great defence to hold Irish out despite their numerical advantage. Adam Greendale, on as a replacement for James Brooks, cut the lead to just 17-13 after 51 minutes with a well deserved penalty.
However, against the run of play Irish got lucky when a speculative kick ahead bounced away from Leigh Hinton into the arms of Pete Richards, who offloaded to Tomas De Vedia to seal the bonus point for the Exiles. Hickey converted for good measure to make it 24-13.
Undaunted Leeds came back again and blistering break by Biggs set them on their way as he blasted his way through the Irish defence to set up Fourie, for the visitors second try next to the post. Greendale converted and Leeds looked like they were back in the game at 24-20 with 25 minutes to play.
However, Irish were able to up the gears in the closing stages and scored three tries in the final twenty minutes to seal the win. Firstly Paul Hodgson scored a typical scrum half's sniping try before Irish were awarded a penalty try when Armstrong pulled down Richards as they raced to get the ball down from a chip ahead. The young winger avoided a yellow card but his side were now 36-20 down.
The scoreline was given an unfair exaggerated look with three minutes to go when Shane Geraghty crossed in the corner and Hewat's second conversion made the final score 43-20 to the home side.
London Irish: Ojo, De Vedia, Richards, Mapusua, Tagicakibau, Hickey, Hodgson, Dermody, Paice, Rautenbach, Hudson, Casey, Danaher, Armitage, Thorpe
Replacements: Lea'aetoa for Dermody (56), Mackie for Paice (73), Johnson for Hudson (67), Murphy for Thorpe (63), Fisher for Danaher (63), Hewat for De Vedia (56), Geraghty for Hickey (53)
Leeds Carnegie: Hinton, Holtby, Burrell, Tuilagi, Biggs, Brooks, Bedford, MacDonald, Ma'asi, McGee, Hooper, Myall, Oakley, Fourie, Balding
Replacements: Hopcroft for McGee (55), Parkes for Ma'asi (51), Lund for Myall (51), Edwards for Bedford (55), Greendale for Brooks (48), Armstrong for Burrell (27)
Referee: Sean Davey
Attendance: 7,502