Jim Mallinder's Saints now turn their attention back to the Anglo-Welsh Cup

Northampton boss Jim Mallinder has admitted inexperience was partly to blame for Sunday's Guinness Premiership defeat at London Irish.

Saints squandered an eight-point lead in the second half at the Madejski Stadium as they lost 32-27.

"It's all a big learning curve," Mallinder told BBC Radio Northampton.

"We didn't make the right decisions at the right time and perhaps we tried to play too much rather than just putting the ball into the corner."

He added: "We ran one back from deep, got turned over, gave away a couple of penalties and let them back into the game.

"And of course it's always a difficult place to come and win."

Northampton were punished by the Exiles full-back Tom Homer, who kicked 22 points including six penalties.

It leaves the Saints in eighth place in the table going into this weekend's Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final against Cardiff Blues.

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