Northampton (6) 23
Tries: Clarke, Downey Cons: Myler 2 Pens: Myler 3

Harlequins (13) 13
Try: Monye Con: Evans Pens: Evans 2

Downey's try was crucial for Northampton at Franklin's Gardens

Northampton burst Harlequins' bubble as they recovered from a 13-6 half-time deficit to record only their third Guinness Premiership win of the season.

Saints led 6-3 via two Stephen Myler penalties before Ugo Monye's converted try gave the visitors the lead.

Nick Evans added a second penalty but Quins did not score in the second half.

Jon Clarke's try on the resumption gave Saints the initiative and James Downey crossed on the hour, Myler converting both before another penalty sealed it.

Quins were made to pay for a lack of discipline which saw both scrum-half Andy Gomarsall and hooker Tani Fuga sin-binned.

Gomarsall, in for the rested Danny Care, had earlier released Monye to dot down unopposed down the side of a scrum while the two front rows were still exchanging blows.

Quins, fresh from back-to-back victories over French giants Stade Francais in the Heineken Cup, appeared in control at half-time.

But Myler, who had wasted two chances to set Saints clear before the interval, released Scott Gray in the first move of the second half and the Scottish flanker fed Clarke to score, Myler's conversion levelling the scores.

Gomarsall was first in the bin after a deliberate block, while Fuga followed for deliberately killing the ball.

With Fuga off the pitch and unavailable to throw in at the line-out, Northampton stole a Quins throw and Downey raced clear to give the hosts the lead.

Ten points adrift after Myler's third penalty, Quins tried to rally in the final quarter but Evans sliced two late penalties wide to deny them even the consolation of a losing bonus point.

Northampton head coach Jim Mallinder:

"We're on a good run, but we haven't been getting the results in the Premiership so we need to keep the momentum and get something at Bath next week.

"We're still learning lessons in the Premiership all the time. We're playing some good rugby at home but we still need to be smarter on the road.

"It's very nice to win and it's even better to win against a side who are playing so well at the moment."

Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards (on his decision to rest Danny Care):

"We had to rest Danny at some stage as he's part of the Elite Squad.

"We felt today was the right day to do it, as it has been a bruising few weeks for us and we can't just run him into the ground.

"I think we looked a bit tired. On the day we were a bit jaded. It's been a busy five weeks with some very difficult games and we didn't perform to the best of our ability."

Northampton: Reihana (capt); Diggin, Clarke, Downey, Lamont; Myler, Dickson; Tonga�uiha, Hartley, Murray, Fernandez Lobbe, Day, Easter, Gray, Wilson.
Replacements: Foden for Dickson (66), Smith for Tonga'uiha (66), Hopley for Easter (66), Mayor for Diggin (78).
Not Used: Shields, Rae, Spencer.

Sin Bin: Fernandez Lobbe (74).

Harlequins: Brown; Stegmann, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, Monye; N Evans, Gomarsall; C Jones, Fuga, Ross, Percival, J Evans, Robshaw, Skinner (capt), Easter.
Replacements: Robson for Percival (63), Croall for Robshaw (65), Malone for Brown (77).
Not Used: Lambert, Guest, G. Williams, Amesbury.

Sin Bin: Gomarsall (46), Fuga (57).

Att: 13,349

Ref: Chris White (RFU).

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