Saints come from behind
A try from Bruce Reihana and five penalties from Stephen Myler helped edge Northampton to a 20-15 win against Saracens.
Last Updated: 14/02/09 5:38pm
A try from Bruce Reihana and five penalties from Stephen Myler helped edge Northampton to a 20-15 Guinness Premiership victory against Saracens.
The result also means that the Saints have prolonged an unbeaten home run which stretches back to March 2007.
Reihana's score was largely down to the work of Ben Foden, whose impressive form has recently kept the captain on the bench - but has not been enough to merit an inclusion in England's 22 to face Wales.
Foden came into the line to release Reihana - recalled on the left wing as a replacement for Scotland international Sean Lamont - who made a short dash to the line in the final minute of the first half.
Northampton had initially gone 9-3 behind but they then rallied to take control against opponents who had control early on.
A move involving Glen Jackson, Alex Goode and Noah Cato exemplified Sarries' early showing, the trio linking up dangerously to cut through the home defence before they were stopped just short.
Threat
Former All Blacks scrum-half Justin Marshall, making his Guinness Premiership debut for Saracens after being recruited as cover for the injured Neil de Kock and Moses Rauluni, proved a constant threat.
The visitors' pressure paid off as Saints conceded penalties in front of their own posts - Jackson kicking the visitors ahead in the fourth, ninth and 20th minutes.
Meanwhile, a penalty from Myler in the 15th minute opened Northampton's scoring.
Another debutant, Saints' 20-year-old hooker Brett Sharman, was denied a try when referee Greg Garner - taking charge of his first Premiership match - ruled that Marshall's kick had rebounded off him.
Saracens had the measure of Saints in the opening period but also had a try ruled out just past the half-hour.
Having stretched the Northampton defence to breaking point, Goode was given a clear run to the line.
However, referee Garner then penalised them for crossing and obstructing the home defence earlier in the move.
Errors
Saracens should really have had more to show for their dominance and can be blamed for a number of handling errors.
It was against the run of play that Northampton scored their try in the 39th minute.
Centre Jon Clarke and flanker Mark Easter did the hard work before Foden sent Reihana over in the left-hand corner.
Myler's second penalty three minutes into the second half then put Northampton ahead for the first time in the match.
With Sarries' skipper Andy Farrell penalised for not releasing the ball, the fly-half missed the opportunity to increase Saints' lead when his long-range penalty fell short.
The pendulum swung towards Northampton after the interval, with the centre partnership of Clarke and James Downey and the back row of Mark Easter, Neil Best and Roger Wilson making forays into the heart of their opponents' defence.
Myler landed three more second-half penalties, with Jackson replying with his fourth kick and a last-minute drop goal which salvaged a losing bonus point.