HEINEKEN CUP POOL FOUR Borders 3 Pens: Vili. Northampton 39 Tries: Reihana, Ripol, Leslie, Cohen 2, Connors. Cons: Grayson 2, Drahm. Pens: Grayson.

Such was Northampton's dominance that they had victory and a bonus point wrapped up before half-time.

World Cup winger Ben Cohen scored two tries, while Bruce Reihana, Mark Connors, John Leslie and Oriol Ripol also crossed the line.

Tanner Vili had kicked the Scots ahead early in the one-sided affair.

Just seconds had elapsed before an ill-tempered exchange between Borders prop Craig Dunlea and Scotland front row Tom Smith saw both players yellow-carded.

Home hopes were raised shortly afterwards when Vili kicked the home team in front after the visiting pack strayed offside.

However, Northampton asserted their authority after nine minutes when Nikki Walker could only palm Paul Grayson's teasing kick into the path of Reihana who accepted the gift.

Grayson stretched the lead with a penalty soon after before the Saints' superior forward power brought a second touchdown. They won clean line-out possession to set up lock Connors who drove over and Grayson converted.

Hopes of a Borders comeback were virtually snuffed out midway through the first half when Cohen sped over for Northampton's third try. Again Grayson added the extras.

Borders rallied briefly with a period of sustained pressure but they lacked the telling pass to break down a stubborn Saints rearguard.

Instead it was Cohen who struck again before the break when he clinically finished a move involving Mark Robinson and Reihana.

Former Scotland hero Leslie piled on the misery on the restart with a superb solo try which was converted by Shane Drahm, a half-time replacement for Grayson.

Borders refused to throw in the towel but Saints' superior power and pace proved too much for them again when Ripol raced over for the visitors' sixth and final try of the night.

Borders: S Paterson, S Paterson, N Walker, Stuart, Utterson, Moir, Vili, Cusiter, Dunlea, Scott, Douglas, MacLeod, Stewart,Rennick, Feather. Replacements: Sititi, Ford, Cross, Weir, Kane, Armstrong, Fairley, Murray.

Northampton: Reihana, Ripol, Tucker, Leslie, Cohen, Grayson, Robinson, Smith, Thompson, Morris, Lord, Connors, Blowers, Fox, Seely. Replacements: Richmond, Budgen, Soden, Sturgess, Howard, Beal, Drahm.