Northampton (13) 30
Tries: Diggin, Foden, Clarke Con: Myler 3Pens: Myler 3

Bristol (0) 8
Tries: Lemi Pens: Barnes

Paul Diggin races clear to score Northampton's first try of the game

Bristol stayed rooted to the bottom of the Guinness Premiership table as Northampton maintained their unbeaten home record with a comprehensive win.

Paul Diggin exploited weaknesses in the Bristol defence to score the first try, sprinting clear on a 50-metre burst.

Bristol finally opened their account in the 50th minute but Ben Foden evaded three tackles on a fine 40-metre run.

In the final minute Jon Clarke scored a third try, before David Lemi kicked on and won a chase for a consolation try.

The first-half was a disjointed affair, with neither side genuinely threatening to score until Diggin's excellent burst of speed created the opening try.

Former England scrum-half Shaun Perry, skippered the visitors in the absence of the injured Joe El Abd, but it was the home side who quickly built a comfortable advantage.

With hooker Dylan Hartley, watched by England scrum coach Graham Rowntree, in influential form it was a surprise the second try did not arrive until the 73rd minute.

It was a memorable effort, as Foden's electrifying diagonal burst saw him touch down near the posts.

More bad defending allowed Clarke in to score, once again converted by the safe boot of Stephen Myler, before the lively winger Lemi completed the scoring.

Bristol coach Richard Hill:

"On that performance we are going to struggle. We've been playing to about 50% of our potential and have to start to play better at some stage.

"We've shown glimpses of it but until we make a significant improvement and get to where we know we can it's going to be a very worrying end of season.

"I just know how well we can play and at the moment we're not transferring the training work we do to the pitch."

Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder:

"Dylan (Hartley) is maturing. He is working hard on his set-piece and his mental skills. It was a big challenge for him against Mark (Regan) and I thought he came through it well.

"I'm really pleased how Ben Foden played for us at full-back but he's played well at scrum-half as well this season.

"To have somebody who can play both positions is a bonus. He knows where the try-line is and he can certainly finish."

Northampton: Foden, Diggin, Clarke, Downey, Lamont, Myler, Dickson, Tonga'uiha, Hartley, Murray, Fernandez Lobbe, Kruger, Easter, S Gray, Wilson.
Replacements: Mayor for Diggin (76), Spencer for Downey (74), Reihana for Dickson (76), Day for Fernandez Lobbe (74).
Not Used: Shields, Smith, Hopley.

Bristol: L Arscott, Robinson, N. Brew, Eves, Lemi, Barnes, Perry, Irish, Regan, Crompton, Winters, Sidoli, Budgett, To'oala, Ward-Smith. Replacements: N. Brew for Eves (61), Linklater for Regan (65), Thompson for Crompton (74), Sambucetti for Winters (61), Salter for Sidoli (69).
Not Used: Beveridge, Ashwin.

Att: 13,090

Ref: Tim Wigglesworth (RFU)

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