Smith holds his nerve to secure thrilling win for Saints against Bath

Smith stepped up with the clock in the red to notch a three-pointer that gave Saints a 35-34 victory in an incredible encounter at cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens.

Bath had looked to be on their way to victory after Alex Mitchell was sin-binned for a high tackle on Ollie Lawrence, allowing Finn Russell to land a penalty with two minutes to go.

But Smith, who was deservedly named man of the match for a stellar showing, fittingly had the final say to secure a maximum haul for Saints against the current table-toppers.

Saints had been dealt an injury blow before the game as Ollie Sleightholme was unable to take his place on the bench due to a hamstring injury, meaning Tom Seabrook was named among the replacements.

But the black, green and gold made a superb start to the match as some fine work down the right from George Hendy and Rory Hutchinson opened the door for Josh Kemeny, who stepped inside brilliantly and raced over for the first score of the game.

Smith easily added the extras and the sell-out crowd was in full voice with just two minutes played.

Curtis Langdon soon had to race back to stop a dangerous Bath attack before Saints went up the other end, with Hendy's electric break not resulting in a try as James Ramm's kick ahead was gathered by Bath.

But Saints were really firing and after Smith kicked ahead and gathered, Alex Mitchell helped to recycle the ball, sending it to the right, where Fraser Dingwall cruised over for his side's second try.

Smith sent the tricky conversion wide but Saints soon scored again as Ramm cut Bath apart from halfway, racing through a gap and refusing to be denied at the last by Joe Cokanasiga.

Smith converted and Saints led 19-0, to the delight of the home crowd, but Bath hit back almost immediately.

Hutchinson couldn't gather the kick-off, knocking on, and Bath used the scrum as a platform to send Cokanasiga over wide on the right.

Russell failed with the conversion attempt from in front of the terrace but Bath were starting to build some momentum, winning penalty after penalty inside the home 22.

And finally the away side made their territory and possession pay as Orlando Bailey darted inside and finished well, allowing Russell to cut the gap to seven points with the conversion.

It was turning into a crazy game, and it really was a crazy first 30 minutes as Saints proceeded to bag the bonus-point try just before the half-hour mark.

Smith created it with a lovely little grubber, and Hendy dealt with a bamboozling bounce really well as he managed to spin to score.

Smith converted and Bath soon lost Will Muir to injury. With only one back, scrum-half Louis Schreuder, on the bench, the away side opted to send a forward on in place of Muir as Josh Bayliss came on to play on the wing.

Smith soon made a massive hit on Miles Reid that drew perhaps the biggest roar of the day at the Gardens before Saints scrambled superbly to bundle Bayliss into touch as the Bath man eyed the try line.

Saints lost Hendy to injury before the break as the full-back, already suffering with a shoulder problem, was smashed off the ball by Ollie Lawrence.

The home fans felt action should have been taken as it looked like a late shot on the injured shoulder, but nothing was done and Bath had the full 15 men on the field at the start of the second half.

Saints lost Temo Mayanvanua and Alex Coles to injury during the same passage of play as Bath piled the pressure on the home line five minutes into the second period.

And the away side soon scored as Will Stuart used force to find his way over the line.

Russell converted to reduce the deficit to seven points, but Smith made it 10 as he quickly replied with a well-struck penalty.

Bath responded by changing their props, while also sending on England lock Charlie Ewels, and the away side were starting to make inroads.

After Tommy Freeman saw his attempted clearance partially charged down, Bath gathered and worked the ball for Max Ojomoh to score.

Russell converted and Saints had lost their breathing space, now leading by just three points.

The home side tried to summon a response but they were looking tired and the Bath defence was proving tough to penetrate.

And when Hutchinson saw his kick charged down, Cokanasiga gathered and raced home to give Bath the lead for the first time in the game.

Russell couldn't add the extras, leaving the Bath lead at two points.

Smith had the chance to put Saints back in front, but his penalty attempt wasn't accurate as it flew to the left of the posts.

It was a brutal game and both sides were trying to find some energy as the clock ticked into the final 10 minutes.

A high tackle from Sam Underhill on Hutchinson handed Saints another penalty chance, which Smith landed thanks to some help from the inside of the left post.

Saints were a point up with eight minutes to go but they had a chance to extend their lead with a Smith penalty from just inside his own half.

However, the ambitious attempt drifted just wide of the posts and Bath came again.

Lawrence led the charge and after he was hit high by Mitchell, the Saints scrum-half was given a yellow card.

The Gardens faithful were far from happy as they felt Lawrence made a lot of the contact, but it mattered not as Russell stepped up and slotted the penalty to a backdrop of boos.

Saints needed one final big push and after Bath failed to deal with the kick-off, the home side had a last chance.

They stayed patient, going through the phases before Bath eventually infringed, giving Smith a penalty chance from just outside the 22.

And with the pressure on, the Saints fly-half kept his cool, slotting the kick to draw a huge roar from the home fans as they celebrated a memorable victory.

Saints: 15 George Hendy (Tom Seabrook 39 (Archie McParland 78)); 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Fraser Dingwall (c), 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 James Ramm; 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Tom West (Tarek Haffar 40), 2 Curtis Langdon, 3 Trevor Davison (Luke Green 62); 4 Temo Mayanavanua (Tom Lockett 45), 5 Alex Coles (Angus Scott-Young 45); 6 Josh Kemeny, 7 Tom Pearson (Henry Pollock 54), 8 Juarno Augustus.

Bath: 15. Orlando Bailey; 14. Joe Cokanasiga, 13. Ollie Lawrence, 12. Max Ojomoh, 11. Will Muir (Sam Underhill 32); 10. Finn Russell, 9. Ben Spencer (c) (Louis Schreuder 76); 1. Beno Obano (Francois van Wyk 50), 2. Tom Dunn (Kepu Tuipulotu 72), 3. Will Stuart (Thomas du Toit 50); 4. Quinn Roux, 5. Ross Molony (Charlie Ewels 50); 6. Guy Pepper (Josh Bayliss 9), 7. Miles Reid, 8. Alfie Barbeary (Jaco Coetzee 58 (Alfie Barbeary 59)).

Referee: Anthony Woodthorpe