Goode's kicking guided his side to their bonus-point victory

Northampton (5) 10
Tries: Robinson, Tupai

Leicester (12) 15
Pens: Goode (5)

Leicester held off a late fightback by Northampton to claim victory in their Guinness Premiership clash.

Northampton trailed 12-5 at the break and although they recovered in the second half, the Tigers defence held firm to move up to third in the table.

Andy Goode kicked five penalties for the visitors to keep them in charge.

But the Saints paid the price for failing to convert tries by Paul Tupai and Mark Robinson with Robbie Kydd and Luke Myring both missing.

Leicester sent a succession of penalties into the left corner as they attempted to press home their advantage late on but Saints drove them back on the last line-out to the delight of the home crowd.

Moments later the Tigers backs appeared to have succeeded where their forwards had failed when they created a clear overlap but substitute Leon Lloyd opted to go alone and a glorious chance went begging.

Scott Bemand danced through Saints' defence and dived over but a magnificent tackle from Ben Cohen knocked the ball from his hands just as he appeared to have scored.

Northampton attempted to snatch the match-winning score but with Leicester enjoying greater possession it was a lost cause.

"It wasn't pretty by any stretch of the imagination and some courageous defence in the second half kept us in the game.

"Every time we got them we let them off the hook. Our pack played well.

"We got nervous on our own ball at the line-out and threw to the wrong place at times but in defence we piled in."

"We were poor and I appreciate that if Northampton had kicked their points we would have lost.

"We won, it wasn't pretty and we're not overly proud of it. But we've come here and ground out a win in a week when we've hardly had any preparation time.

"We started with lots of passion and big hits but let them into the game."

Northampton: Kydd; Howard, Going, Quinlan, Cohen; Myring, Robinson; Smith, Hartley, Barnard; D Browne, Short; Tupai, Fox, D Browne.
Replacements: Richmond, Budgen, Gerard, Easter, Vass, Wyles, Laird.

Leicester: Vesty; G Murphy, Smith, Hipkiss, J Murphy; Goode, Bemand; Ayerza, Chuter, Holford; Cullen, Kay; Deacon, Moody, Corry (capt).
Replacements: Young, Buckland, Crane, Jennings, F Murphy, Lloyd, Burke.

Referee: Chris White (RFU)