The prolific try-scoring wing was given his marching orders by referee Ian Tempest just before halftime for a shoulder-led tackle into the neck of Quins wing Cadan Murley.
Now Ashton, who has decided to quit at the end of the season, could well be suspended for Leicester’s Premiership play off at Sale next Sunday.
He seemed to accept that his playing career was over in the way he applauded the Leicester fans in walking off. It’s a sad way to go for such a distinguished player, aged 36, who completed the feat of becoming the first to score 100 tries in the Premiership last month.
Overall, Quins played the sharper rugby though they had to hold on at the end as Leicester, having been 17-7 down at halftime, fought back to within three points.
The tense finish, which brought a yellow card for Quins prop Joe Marler, was always likely between confident Tigers and visitors determined to finish the campaign on a high.
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