Bristol: (13) 13 Try: Stanojevic Con: Strange Pens: Strange 3 Northampton: (0) 19 Tries: Thompson, Lamont, Cohen Cons: Reihana 2

The Saints appeared to be out of it when they trailed 16-0 late on but the game changed when replacement Bristol hooker Neil Clark was sin-binned.

Half-time replacement Steve Thompson crashed over, Sean Lamont added another try and Ben Cohen scored seven minutes into injury-time to snatch victory.

Bristol led 16-0 via a Marco Stanojevic try and three Jason Strange penalties.

Their forwards dominated most of the match, and dug deep to try to close the game down after Lamont sliced through a gap to get Saints within reach.

But England wing Cohen had the final word to clinch the four points Northampton needed to guarantee Heineken Cup qualification, Bruce Reihana kicking his second conversion.

Saints will join Sale Sharks, Leicester, Wasps, London Irish and Gloucester as the six Guinness Premiership representative in Europe's showpiece club competition next term.

And despite the galling manner of defeat, Bristol can reflect on a satisfying first season surviving back in the Premiership.

There was, however, a concern over prospective England scrum-half Shaun Perry, who suffered a hamstring problem.

Although he played on for the entire game, he finished with his left leg heavily strapped, but Bristol coach Richard Hill has no doubts he should tour Australia.

"I think Shaun would certainly rise to the challenge," he said. "I think he has got more all-round ability than any other scrum-half in the country."