Chris Ashton scores twice as Northampton Saints see off Western Force
Chris Ashton scored two late tries as Saints enjoyed a satisfying win against Australian Super 14 side Western Force at Franklin's Gardens.
The winger dotted down twice in time added on to give the scoreline a comfortable look for Saints after what was a hard-fought battle, but there was no doubt the Saints deserved their win.
Under that rarest of things, a hot August sun, Saints started brightly but it didn't take long for the Force, who have already played three games on their UK tour, to get into their stride.
Chris Ashton had to be alert to prevent Haig Sare scoring a try on five minutes, and soon after it was 3-0 to the visitors with Scott Daruda slamming over a penalty from 20 metres.
Saints were quickly awarded a penalty of their own, but went for the lineout option and were left to regret it as Ben Lewitt failed to gather Dylan Hartley's throw and possession was squandered.
Force were starting to dominate possession as a new-look Saints side, with six players making their first start at Franklin's Gardens, struggled for any sort of cohesion.
But they did cross the try-line on 33 minutes after a sweeping move, only for Roger Wilson's effort to be disallowed by referee Chris White for crossing.
Saints took confidence from that incident though and finished the half on a high when skipper Bruce Reihana potted a penalty from fully 40 metres to make it all square at 3-3 at the interval.
Saints were much the stronger in the second-half, with Force struggling to get out of their own half.
Sustained pressure from a series of five-metre scrums resulted in a yellow card for Force's Matt Hodgson, and while he was off the field referee White awarded Saints a penalty try. That was converted by Reihana to make it 10-3.
Force battled to get back into the game, but the Saints defence held firm, and it was to be the home side who had the final scoring say, winger Ashton forcing his way over in the corner to make it 15-3, and then scoring again six minutes into time added on.
Reihana missed the first conversion from the touchline, but made no mistake from in front of the posts for the second to make it 22-3 and complete a satisfying afternoon's work for Jim Mallinder's men..
Teams: Northampton: Reihana; Ashton, Clarke (77m, Brake), Mordt, Ansbro; Spencer (66m, Everitt), Foden (61m, Dickson); Tonga'uiha (61m, Smith), Hartley (66m, J Gray), Murray (80+3, Tonga'uiha), Lobbe (61m, Rae), Day, Best, Lewitt, Wilson (66m, S Gray). Western Force: Haylett-Petty; Tatupu, Pelesasa, Daruda, Sare; O'Connor (51m, Berryman), O'Young; Hardy, McIsaac (51m, Holmes), Whalley (50m, Takiari), Murphy (61m Tia Tia), O'Connor, Hodgson, Pocock, Horua (55m, Manu). Replacements not used: Turner, Barrett.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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