Saints on course for another home win
Saints 15 Newcastle 10 TWO first half tries has put Saints on the verge of their 17th home victory in a row at Franklin's Gardens
Chris Ashton and Lee Dickson were the scorers as Saints dominated for the first quarter only for the strong Newcastle pack to hit back.
All eyes were on the first scrum after last season's destruction by Newcastle's Carl Hayman and after a collapse Saints won the ball against the head when the Falcons failed to control the put in and it shot out the side.
Saints tapped their first penalty on the 40m touchline and it was great handling that saw them work their way to within 5m of the Falcons line. Roger Wilson had been heavily involved but with the line in sight he dropped an offload to end a some good play from the home side.
Chris Ashton ran in his 10th try of the Premiership campaign on 10 minutes after good work from Brian Mujati in midfield. Saints were getting good quick ball as well and moved it to the right wing, where Bruce Reihana made the break and offloaded to Ashton to run in from 10m out.
Newcastle hadn't got into Saints' 22, with the home side playing as well as they have for a long time, but a penalty from nearly 50m allowed Jimmy Gopperth to make it 7-3 after 20 minutes.
Newcastle came in at the side of a good lineout drive for Stephen Myler to respond from similar distance, but with the wind against him Myler kicked to within 15m of the line. Saints did the same routine and the drive brought another penalty and from 25m Myler made it 10-3 after 23 minutes.
Courtney Lawes missed his second restart and from the lineout on Saints 22 Falcons powered a drive all the way for Rob Vickers to dot down. Gopperth converted to make it 10-10 with Newcastle hardly in Saints' 22.
Just on half-time Saints regained the lead with a sumptuous 60m move started by Myler offloading superbly to James Downey. Ashton took the move on in midfield and an over the head pass to Lee Dickson saw him send Juandre Kruger screaming towards the line. He was stopped just short, but Dickson was on hand to pick up and dot down. After some consultation between referee Dean Richards and his touch judge the try was given as the ball went backwards when Kruger dropped it trying to dot down. Myler hit the post with the conversion to leave Saints 15-10 in front at the break.
Teams:
Northampton Saints - Reihana; Ashton, Clarke, Downey, Diggin; Myler, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Sharman, Mujati, Lawes, Kruger, Dowson (capt), Best, Wilson
Replacements - Long, Waller, Morris, Fernandez Lobbe, Easter, Dickens, Geraghty, Mayor
Newcastle Falcons - Tait; Williams, Bobo, Tu'ipulotu, Amesbury; Gopperth, Young; Golding, Vickers, Hayman (capt), Hudson, Swinson, Afu, Wilson, Levi
Replacements - Walker, Ward, Shiells, Sorenson, Browne, Pilgrim, Miller, Vickerman
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Friday 10 February 2012
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