Opposition view: Kidney feels London Irish could have controlled key moments better

Irish were hit by three yellow cards in the final few minutes of the first half, but Saints didn't capitalise and it was only 10-3 to the hosts when the players returned to the field.

However, Phil Dowson's side eventually found their feet, scoring three further tries to add to Juarno Augustus's first-half effort.

And Kidney said: “There were a lot of things there that were in our control that we can do better.

“I think there were a couple of momentum swings in the game too, so I think the two of those things combined probably cost us as the game went on.

“I think it’s well within our grasp to be that much better and fair play to Northampton, we knew they were going to be well up for it, but there are learnings for us to take, individually and collectively.

“(Playing with 12 men) does take the energy out of the boys around the pitch.

“You could say there was a four-point swing in that nine minutes, which isn’t the worst thing with three men (in the sin bin).

“They only scored at the end of the three men coming back on and in the minute before that, we can probably control those moments better.”