Ashton led the way as Northampton reached the top of the Premiership
A hat-trick of Chris Ashton tries sent Northampton top of the Premiership with a bonus-point victory over Gloucester.
Nicky Robinson kicked Gloucester ahead but Northampton answered with the first of Ashton's tries, racing between the posts, and two Stephen Myler penalties.
Myler's boot again responded to Charlie Sharples' try for Gloucester to send Northampton into the break 16-10 ahead.
Dylan Hartley and Ashton opened a gap for the home side which Dave Attwood briefly closed before Ashton's third.
Gloucester persistently came back at Northampton, particularly in the frenetic start to the second half, but failed to make up the difference.
Following Ashton's second try, team-mate Hartley was sin-binned for killing the ball cynically.
Robinson dispatched the penalty but the Saints managed to hold out, Attwood only managing to finish a patient Gloucester move just before Hartley returned.
With one score in it, Shane Geraghty, on for Myler, struck a decisive penalty blow to move the home side clear.
Bruce Reihana looked set to wrap it up for Northampton as he surged towards the line, but chose instead to gift Ashton his hat-trick once the pair were inside the dead ball zone.
Northampton rugby director Jim Mallinder:
"Chris Ashton knows when and where to turn up and he also makes the breaks. His first try was unbelievable. That is his second try hat-trick in the league this season.
"Chris knows where to find the weak points in defences. He is strong, fast, and getting better all the time. His try-scoring record of 22 in 29 games is remarkable.
"Our target is to earn a home semi-final in the play-offs, and then perhaps a place in the play-off final at Twickenham."
Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath:
"We feel unlucky to leave Northampton with nothing, although our ball retention was occasionally poor. More importantly, we need to adapt better to referees.
"You need to take the rough with the smooth in this business, but I can't help feeling there's been a lot of rough for me this season. We worked so hard all week and the boys in the dressing room are gutted.
"But as you develop, so you learn. We played some very good football and we created some good opportunities. I think the difference was Northampton took theirs better than we did."
Replacements: Geraghty for Myler (62), Mujati for Murray (62), Sharman for Fernandez Lobbe (60), Easter for Sharman (63).
Not Used: Dreyer, Best, Dickens, Ansbro.
Sin Bin: Hartley (53).
Gloucester: Burns, Sharples, May, Tindall, Simpson-Daniel, Robinson, R. Lawson, Wood, Azam, Doran-Jones, Attwood, Brown, Strokosch, Boer, Eustace.
Replacements: Morgan for Burns (45), Voyce for May (57), Dickinson for Wood (47), S. Lawson for Azam (40), Capdevielle for Doran-Jones (63), Buxton for Boer (54).
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