Northampton ensured Bristol's miserable start to the season continued as they won a see-saw battle at the Memorial Stadium.

The Shoguns began well, and led for most of the first half until John Leslie's try on the stroke of the interval.

Early in the second half, Saints looked as though they may run away with the game.

But Bristol hit back with a Brendon Daniel try and were within one point, before Ben Cohen's try sealed a deserved Northampton win.

After conceding an early Paul Grayson penalty Bristol stormed back, and the home fans were delighted as Argentine fly-half Felipe Contepomi crossed for the first try.

Contepomi also converted, then exchanged penalties with Grayson to give the Shoguns a 10-6 lead.

Northampton came back strongly, and Bristol were grateful for Mike Lipman's try-saving tackle on Oriol.

The Shoguns began to lose their discipline, and Grayson slotted over another penalty after Neil McCarthy was sin-binned for using the boot against Matt Dawson.

But the home team moved further ahead after the Saints had their own moment of madness when Matt Stewart was sent to the bin, and Ben Sturnham drove skipper Garath Archer over the line.

Contepomi converted - but just as it looked like the Shoguns would have a comfortable half-time lead, Saints came back.

Grayson's fourth penalty made it 17-12, then John Leslie crossed after Brendon Daniel's handling error.

Grayson added the extras to give the Saints a 19-17 interval lead.

Saints kept the momentum going as they returned to full strength after half-time, Budge Pountney crossing early on and Grayson converting to take them 26-17 ahead.

Yet Bristol came back into the game after neat handling offered Daniel the chance to make amends for his earlier error in the right corner, although Contepomi failed with the conversion.

That halted Saints' momentum, and another Contepomi penalty brought Bristol to 25-26 with 13 minutes remaining.

Bristol's tails were up, but typically of the match, that was the cue for the opposition to score.

Cohen crossed after Phil Christophers fumbled a pass, and Grayson added to put Saints eight points ahead.

Contepomi's penalty on 77 minutes brought Bristol back to 28-33, but Grayson's injury-time penalty sealed Saints' win.

Bristol: Williams, Daniel, Rees, Shaw, Christophers, Contepomi, Pichot, Crompton, McCarthy, White, Archer, A. Brown, Sturnham, Lipman, Salter.
Replacements: Sheridan, E. Bergamaschi, Short, Johnstone, Nelson, Richards, Drahm.

Northampton: Beal, Sleightholme, Cohen, Leslie, Ripol, Grayson, Dawson, Smith, Thompson, Stewart, Connors, Williams, Blowers, Pountney, Seely.
Replacements: Richmond, Budgen, Phillips, Soden, Tucker, Jorgensen, Brooks.

Referee: Ashley Rowden