MATCH REPORT | Northampton Saints 41-30 Saracens Men
Saracens Men were stung by a clinical Northampton Saints as they were beaten 41-30 at Franklin’s Gardens.
The Men in Black were playing catch up after a fast start from the hosts, and were eventually undone by the table-toppers who scored five tries in an impressive attacking display.
Alex Lewington’s late double could prove crucial come the end of the season, as his two tries in the final two minutes ensured Sarries left with a try bonus point.
Saints started strongly and opened the scoring with just five minutes on the clock to get the home fans off their seats. They had a lineout in the 22, and then Fin Smith’s delayed pass put Alex Coles through a gap and he could trot under the posts. The conversion from Smith made it 7-0 in the opening exchanges.
Sarries were then looking to get level and an incredible kick from Billy Vunipola pinned the hosts right on their own line, but they managed to escape and clear upfield.
It then got better for Saints who scored their second with 11 minutes played. Ollie Sleightholme cut through the defence and popped the ball up to James Ramm who dotted down, and despite a
lengthy TMO check which suggested the ball was held up the try was given. Smith’s conversion made it 14-0.
Smith then extended the lead to 17-0 with a penalty, but that seemed to spark the visitors in to life on the 20 minute mark as they got themselves back in to the game. Saints opted for a box kick to clear but Theo McFarland had other ideas and charged it down before gathering it himself to run clear from 20 metres. Owen Farrell’s conversion cut the deficit to 10 points.
Another strong attacking passage had Sarries on the front foot once more, and they were rewarded with a penalty which Farrell kicked straight through the posts to make it 17-10.
Sarries would dominate for the rest of the first half but they couldn’t turn the pressure in to points. Juan Martin Gonzalez looked to have gone through a gap but his offload was intercepted, and then Nick Tompkins looked to crash over but the ball bounced out of his grasp.
That meant that the Londoners went in at half time trailing 17-10, with it all to play for after the break.
Sarries started the second half with incredible intensity and cut the gap just three minutes after the restart. Smith’s clearance kick went straight out which meant Sarries had a lineout inside their 22, and then earned a penalty which Farrell kicked to make it 17-13.
However just when it looked like Sarries were in the ascendancy, Ramm crossed for his second of the evening to give them some breathing space. A penalty was taken quickly and then Ramm spotted a gap and went straight through to go under the posts. Smith’s conversion extended their advantage to 11 points, and that quickly grew to 14 with a penalty straight after.
Theo Dan then nearly got Sarries back within touching distance as he smashed through a gap and rampaged towards the line, but from the next ruck the ball was stolen and the hosts cleared.
Sarries did strike from their next attack to get right back in the game. Elliot Daly kicked ahead and put Saints under pressure, and then in almost identical style to the first try, Ben Earl charged down the box kick and ran straight under the posts. Farrell’s extras brought them back to within seven.
Alex Lewington was then sent to the sin-bin for what was deemed to be a deliberate knock on, and Saints punished them straight away as Tommy Freeman scored from the next phase to give them daylight. Smith’s extras put them 14 points ahead once again.
The game was then put to bed by the hosts as Sleightholme intercepted from half way and ran under the sticks to send the home fans wild. Smith’s conversion made it 41-20 as we entered the final 10 minutes.
Sarries did salvage something though, as two tries in the final two minutes from Lewington saw them come away with a bonus point.
He gathered Alex Goode’s cross-field kick for the first, and then went the length of the field from the restart to send the Sarries fans home with something to hold on to, and what could well turn out to be a vital point come the end of the Premiership season.
