Zurich Premiership leaders Gloucester saw off a stirring challenge from Northampton to extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points.

The Gloucester pack turned in a storming performance and although the hosts' all-round game was more fluid the strength of the Gloucester eight saw the Cherry and Reds home.

Gloucester took the lead after just three minutes through Olivier Azam's try and French fly-half Ludovic Mercier weighed in with 11 points from the boot to guide the visitors home.

Match details

Northampton 13 Try: Leslie Con: Grayson Pens: Grayson (2) Gloucester 16 Try: Azam Con: Mercier Pens: Mercier (2) Drop goal: Mercier

Northampton's try came from former Scotland centre John Leslie, with Paul Grayson kicking the rest of the hosts' points.

Gloucester put down a very early marker as their mighty pack secured a line out and then rumbled more than 20 metres for the opening try.

French hooker Azam powered over the line to score and Mercier's fine conversion saw the leaders seven points up after just three minutes.

The Cherry and Reds then followed up with a hefty shove at a scrum to really make their point and they extended their lead when Mercier drilled over a penalty from in front of the posts after 11 minutes.

Phil Vickery was stunned after a clash of heads

Gloucester lost captain Phil Vickery to the blood bin for 10 minutes after an accidental clash of heads with Tom Smith and it was the Scottish prop who finally sparked the Saints.

His interception sparked a flowing Northampton move and it took a superb tackle from Marcel Garvey on All Blacks speedster Bruce Reihana to prevent a try.

Gloucester immediately lost Rob Fidler for killing the ball and Northampton got on the board as Leslie scissored in midfield with Grayson and scored by the posts.

It will probably turn out to be one of the most important wins of the season, although not one of the prettiest Gloucester captain Phil Vickery

The conversion was a formality for Grayson and with points on the board the hosts began to grow in confidence.

The Saints launched a series of attacks near the Gloucester line but the visitors held out and extended their lead with a Mercier penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Garvey pulled off a try-saving tackle on Reihana

After Grayson had missed a penalty Mercier nudged the visitors further ahead with a drop goal but almost immediately Gloucester had Rodrigo Roncero sent to the bin.

Grayson slotted the penalty to make it 16-10 with 25 minutes to go.

After the pulsating first half the game had gone slightly off the boil and, after Mark Soden had been binned for a high tackle, it took a Henry Paul error to spark Saints into life.

His failure to clear his lines resulted in a penalty which Grayson slotted to trim the gap to three points.

It was good to score so early and it boosted us immensely Gloucester hooker Olivier Azam

With eight minutes remaining Grayson missed a fairly easy chance to level the scores from a penalty before Mercier replied in kind with a missed drop goal for Gloucester.

A fine chase from Reihana set up a good late position for the Saints, but once again Gloucester's pack turned the ball over to make the game safe for the runaway leaders.

Northampton: Beal, Reihana, Jorgensen, Leslie, Sleightholme, Grayson, Vass, Smith, Thompson, Budgen, Williams, Phillips, Hunter, Pountney, Soden.
Replacements: Richmond, Stewart, Lord, Fox, Howard, Brooks, Tucker.

Gloucester: Paul, Garvey, Fanolua, Todd, Delport, Mercier, Gomarsall, Roncero, Azam, Vickery, Fidler, Cornwell, Boer, Buxton, Paramore.
Replacements: Stuart-Smith, Amor, Beim, Caves, Molloy, Forrester, Eustace.

Referee: Steve Lander (RFU)