Five yellow cards and four tries for Saints saw them win a chaotic opening EDF Energy Cup clash against Bristol at Franklin's Gardens.

Man of the match Paul Diggin scored a try and set up two others for Lee Dickson and Chris Mayor with Chris Ashton also touching down.

But at one point in the second half Saints were down to 13 men as referee Nigel Owens went card crazy, sending three Bristol players and two home players to the bin.

Bristol started brightly with almost two minutes of continual phases in Saints' 22 resulting in a gap on the left wing that Lee Robinson exploited beautifully with an offload for South African-born Matthew Turner to score on his debut after only landing in the West country this week.

Saints came storming back and some good drives from the forwards in Bristol's 22 allowed Nils Mordt to float a lovely pass over the onrushing defence for Diggin to steam over for his first try of the season. Like Bristol's Chris Ashwin, Everitt couldn't work out the strong wind and it remained level at 5-5.

Bristol were being patient in possession and when Vunga Lilo sent a grubber kick through there was nobody covering for Saints as Turner won the race for his second try.

A moment of magic from Diggin got Saints level. Given a hospital pass by Chris Ashton 10m inside his own half, Diggin danced to the right wing and scampered clear. He passed to Matt Lord, who dummied and sent Lee Dickson scrambling over. Everitt missed the conversion to leave it at 10-10.

But the fly-half sent over a 42m penalty five minutes before the break to make it 13-10 to Saints. Two minutes later lock Robert Sidoli was sin-binned for holding on to the ball once too often for referee Nigel Owens' liking.

Everitt missed the penalty to leave the score at 13-10 at the break.

Saints come out sparkling with Diggin again proving the inspiration and Bristol went down to 13 men when Kevin Maggs was yellow-carded for hands in a ruck 2m from his line.

Saints took advantage as Sean Lamont burst down the left wing floated a pass to Diggin and the ball was whipped to Ashton, who cut inside two men to score.

Everitt converted to make it 20-10.

Sidoli came back on but Saints scored again when Dickson broke through the middle and the ball was spun left for Chris Mayor to touch down. Everitt's conversion made it 27-10.

But then Owens lost his rag, first sin-binning Saints replacement Joe Gray, then props Ben Broster and Mark Irish for not keeping their shoulders straight at a scrum despite being told three times. That left Saints with 13 men and Bristol with 14 and uncontested scrums.

A break from Luke Eves got Bristol into Saints' 22 and they worked their man advantage for Vunga Lilo to score. Ashwin converted to make it 27-17 with eight minutes to go and three minutes until both sides were back to 15 v 15.

Everitt knocked over a penalty from 35m and in front of the posts to make it 30-17 to Saints and that was how a chaotic game finished.

Att: 11,301

Northampton Saints
Diggin; Ashton, Mayor, Mordt, Lamont; Everitt, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Shields, Stewart, Lord, Rae (capt), Lawes, Lewitt, Milligan.

Replacements – Gray, Vickers, Broster, Cannon, Neale, Brake, Greenhalgh.

Bristol
Lilo; Robinson, Eves, Maggs, Turner; Ashwin, Thomas; Irish, Regan, Bracken, Winters, Sidoli, Salter (capt), R Pennycook, Grieve.

Replacements – Blaney, Clarke, Attwood, C Pennycook, Alford, Barnes, Barden