Northampton (10) 13
Try: Diggin Con: Myler Pens: Myler, Everitt
Newcastle (19) 19
Tries: Golding, Williams, May Cons: May 2
 Danny Williams scored Newcastle's second try. |
Three tries in the opening 11 minutes were enough for resurgent Newcastle to end Northampton's 29-game unbeaten home run at Franklin's Gardens. Prop Jon Golding drove over from close range to open the scoring before Tom May found Danny Williams on the right wing for a simple catch and touchdown. May raced 50 metres to finish a fine solo effort before Saints hit back. But Paul Diggen's try and penalties for Stephen Myler and Barry Everitt were not enough as Newcastle held on. Saints, undefeated at home since March 2007, left themselves with too much to do after Newcastle raced to a 19-point lead to record their fourth successive victory. Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder had been forced into two late changes, with key second-rower Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe having to return home to Argentina because of a family problem and centre Jon Clarke failing a fitness test - and it showed as Newcastle ran riot early on.  | 606: DEBATE |
Northampton missed the opportunity to open their account when fly-half Myler, whose four misses cost them the chance of an away victory over Wasps last Sunday, failed to find the target with a simple penalty attempt. Myler finally made partial amends by putting his side on the scoreboard with a 31st-minute penalty. Northampton gave themselves a glimmer of hope before half-time when Chris Mayor flicked the ball on one-handed for Diggen to cross in the left-hand corner. Myler converted to reduce the deficit to nine points. May and Myler both missed penalties early in a scrappy second half, which saw Newcastle contain the home side's late attacking flourish, despite a 74th-minute penalty by Myler.
Northampton director of rugby Jim Mallinder:
"I'm gutted really. In the first 15 minutes we were terrible. "To concede three tries like that is very disappointing and it was always going to be a battle to come back from that. "We're not going to blame that (missing players) for our performance, it's proved we are a long way from where we want to be in terms of our squad. We've got to learn lessons from today." Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates:
"We couldn't have asked for a better start but in some ways it put the pressure on us in the second half. "We looked a little bit nervous and almost let them back into it. "They played some pretty good stuff at the end of the first half and it was a very tense and nail-biting second half. "We're looking upwards not downwards now. "We'd talked all week about winning and what beating this record Northampton have had at home would do for the club. "We weren't talking about tries or bonus points, we just felt this was a great opportunity to win back-to-back away games which hasn't happened for a long time."
Northampton: Reihana; Ashton, Mayor, Downey, Diggin; Myler, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Sharman, Stewart, Day, Kruger, Lawes, Best, Wilson.
Replacements: Ansbro for Mayor (55), Everitt for Myler (67), Shields for Sharman (64), Smith for Stewart (57), Rae for Day (64), Hopley for Wilson (25). Not Used: Dickens. Newcastle: Tait; D Williams, Noon, Tu'ipulotu, Rudd; May, Young; Golding, Vickers, Hayman, Swinson, Parling, Dowson, B Wilson, Balding.
Replacements: Visser for D Williams (40), Charlton for Young (67), D Wilson for Golding (64), Thompson for Vickers (50), Sorenson for Parling (50), Winter for Balding (47). Not Used: Miller. Att: 12,908 Ref: Dean Richards (RFU).
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