Dowson salutes Saints youngsters for performing under pressure

The black, green and gold saw off the spirited Championship side, who kept battling at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

Saints had to wait until the second half to get any real breathing space in the game as they secured a bonus-point success to pull clear at the top of Premiership Rugby Cup Pool B.

And Dowson was delighted with how his side, which included try-scoring teenagers Billy Pasco and Will Glister, stepped up.

"It's not just exciting but integral to what we're trying to do because they're the next guys in and our whole business model is based around these (young) guys stepping up and pushing themselves," Saints boss Dowson said.

"To see how they've taken to it and behaved under pressure is brilliant.

"Coventry are an ambitious side, they want to get promoted to the Premiership so we knew they would want to make that point today.

"They are experienced, battle-hardened and that was the test today really."

The quarter-finals are beckoning for Saints as they prepare to finish their pool stage campaign with a trip to face Nottingham on Friday night.

"We've worked out what we need to do from week to week," Dowson said.

"We wanted to get a bonus-point win against Coventry, and the best way to do that was to perform really well and train along the lines we have for umpteen years now.

"We're going to do the same again next week and the maths will work out in the end.

"If you play really well, you win games and you generally get good things.

"The approach never changes.

"We'll pick a group we think is the most appropriate to put a performance in because Nottingham scored 25 points here not so long ago.

"We're not going to take them lightly, we're going to make sure we prepare properly and we go there next week and perform to the Saints level.

"It's another good challenge. There's different challenges each week.

"It was a tough one at Welford Road, this week it was tough again against a Coventry side that was desperate and I don't think Nottingham will be any different."