Northampton (15) 25
Tries: Ashton 2, Dickson Cons: Myler 2
Newcastle (10) 13
Tries: Vickers Cons: Gopperth Pens: Gopperth 2

Ashton (left) signed a new deal with Northampton in January

Chris Ashton grabbed two tries as Northampton beat Newcastle Falcons.

Northampton began brightly, with Ashton calming Saints' nerves after just 10 minutes with a score in the corner.

Poor discipline from Saints helped the battling Falcons to pull level thanks to Jimmy Goperth's boot and a try from Rob Vickers after a fine forward drive.

Saints' Lee Dickson scored a breakaway try just before half-time, and Ashton's second try in the corner was enough to condemn Falcons to defeat.

Northampton coach Jim Mallinder:
"Newcastle are always a hard team to break down and they have won at Wasps and London Irish this season.

"During the 80 minutes we played some good stuff, we did make some mistakes but we made them trying to play some attacking rugby.

"We deserved to win but Newcastle were always a threat from their lineout and forward drives."

Newcastle Falcons coach Steve Bates:
"I was particularly disappointed that we didn't finish down that right-hand side.

"It was a really good game, it was very tense and there was huge effort from both sides.

"We probably edged it on mistakes and Northampton's last try after another mistake from us put us out of the game.

"We thought if we could keep it to one score to well into the second half then we might have had a chance of a win. At 18-13 we were very much in it and if we had kept it a little more simple and played more sensibly we might have created a bit more pressure."

Northampton: Reihana, Ashton, Clarke, Downey, Diggin, Myler, Dickson, Tonga'uiha, Sharman, Mujati, Lawes, Kruger, Dowson, Best, Wilson.

Replacements: Mayor for Clarke (71), Geraghty for Myler (77),

Dickens for Dickson (71), Long for Sharman (71), Morris for Mujati (71), Fernandez Lobbe for Lawes (59), Easter for Wilson (59).
Not Used: Waller.

Newcastle: A. Tait, Williams, Bobo, Tu'ipulotu, Amesbury, Gopperth, Young, Golding, Vickers, Hayman, Hudson, Swinson, Afu, B. Wilson, Levi.

Replacements: Vickerman for Tu'ipulotu (68), Pilgrim for Young (77), Shiels for Golding (68), Sorenson for Swinson (62), Browne for Afu (28).
Not Used: Walker, Ward, Miller.

Att: 13,189.

Ref: D Richards (RFU).

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