Saints boss Jim Mallinder will be telling his side to buck-up as poor kicking and a malfunctioning lineout saw the home side on the back foot for the large majority of the first 40 minutes and lucky to be in front.
Saints started perfectly with Al
an Dickens charging down a box-kick to keep Leicester hemmed in their 22. It gave Saints a lineout on the Tigers 22 and from a throw to the back of it Paul Diggin flew on to an inside ball from Stephen Myler. The winger zipped past full-back Lucas Amorosino to dot down next to the posts. Myler converted to make it 7-0 after three minutes.
For the next 10 minutes Saints were under pressure as their lineout faltered and they kept giving away possession. The home defence held though, but another poor kick from Dickens saw Leicester keep the pressure on and win a penalty for offside after 16 minutes. From nearly 40m Billy Twelvetrees made it 7-3.
In his first home start since joining Saints 18 months ago Dickens then scored his first try for the club after some great offloading from Chris Ashton, Chris Mayor and finally Roger Wilson as the scrum-half nipped down the right touchline to touch down. From the touchline Myler made it 14-3 after 22 minutes.
Saints were seemingly in control, but on 27 minutes they gave away the softest of tries. A decent up-an-under from Myler was taken by Amorosino just outside his 22, and he then charged through the middle of Joe Ansbro and Mayor, scampered 40m and sent Twelvetrees over. Sam Vesty missed the touchline conversion to leave Saints 14-8 in front.
Bruce Reihana was then charged down from a quick lineout 10m from his own line. Saints survived but Dickens was left prostrate on the floor after saving the day.
Saints were beset by errors with Brett Sharman having trouble with his lineout throwing and after one overshot Tigers winger Alesana Tuilagi kicked through and just had to pick up 5m out to score but knocked on.
Att: 13.092
Northampton Saints - Reihana; Ashton, Ansbro, Mayor, Diggin; Myler, Dickens; Tonga'uiha, Sharman, Mujati; F Lobbe (capt), Kruger; Easter, Best, Wilson
Reps - Long, Parkins, Waller, Cannon, Giles, Dickson, Everitt, Downey
Leicester Tigers - Amorosino; Tuilagi, Twelvetrees, Mauger (capt), Smith; Vesty, Ellis; Stankovich, Youngs, White; Hemingway, Kay; Pienaar, Woods, Deacon
Reps - Duffey, Harris, Bower, Conquest, Everard, Grindal, Staunton, Murphy
