Saints win thriller against Bath in top of the table clash

For the second time in as many seasons, a dramatic stoppage-time Fin Smith penalty decided the meeting of Northampton Saints and Bath in the hosts’ favour at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens.

A herculean tussle between the top two sides in the Gallagher PREM served up another classic for the ages, laden with twists and turns and a heart-stopping finale. 

Tommy Freeman’s hat-trick, Ollie Sleightholme’s brace and one try from Fin Smith meant Saints were never behind in the Round 14 encounter, as Phil Dowson’s side remarkably scored exactly 41 points against Bath for third time this season.

But the resolute defending champions refused to fade away, scoring six tries across the contest, pulling level three times – including in the final minutes – but Smith’s fifth successful kick of the contest saw Northampton stay top of the table and move ten points clear of third-placed Leicester Tigers – who they face next in a fortnight’s time at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

FIRST HALF

A frenetic opening third delivered five tries and two yellow cards. The scoring started early, as Saints’ match‑winner at the death last time out against Exeter, fly‑half Smith, picked up where he left off at Sandy Park at a sun-kissed full house at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens by latching onto Fraser Dingwall’s offload to race over.

Bath’s route into the game came from Bernard van der Linde’s break from the base of a ruck, which prompted Tom Litchfield into a despairing illegal action close to the line, earning himself a yellow card. The visitors made the extra number count as Ciaran Donoghue looped a pass into Louie Hennessey’s hands to level the scores with the conversion that followed.

Saints bagged back‑to‑back tries after Will Muir was yellow‑carded for a deliberate knock‑on and, after a kick to the corner and foundations laid by the forwards, Alex Mitchell and Freeman combined for the latter’s first of the afternoon down the short side.

Sleightholme — who earned a key penalty in the build‑up to Saints’ second try — then crossed for his side’s third when Dingwall unlocked the defence, freeing Smith to trigger the backs division on a searing attack that concluded with Hendy putting his left winger over in the corner.

Bath, just as they did at The Rec earlier in the month, refused to go away and struck back when Arthur Green profited from a strong piece of play down the right that saw Miles Reid make the break and offload.

The Somerset side seemed destined to cut the deficit further, only for Josh Kemeny to burgle the ball near his own line. Sensing an opportunity to attack, the men in Black, Green and Gold pounced as Litchfield and Sleightholme made huge metres. Bath scrambled back, but were outnumbered as Ed Prowse linked with Dingwall to send Freeman strolling over for the bonus‑point‑sealing try.

Saints’ 12‑point lead at the interval could’ve been even greater, only for the TMO to intervene and rule out two further scores — first as Immanuel Iyogun’s grounding was loose, then when Kemeny’s superb leap to gather Henry Pollock’s chip ahead was judged to be simultaneous with Dan Frost’s covering dive to draw the first 40 to a close.

SECOND HALF

Those missed chances were compounded a minute into the second half when Bath retained their kick‑off, kept it tight with a series of powerful carries, then spun wide for Hennessey to put Tom Carr‑Smith over on the inside line. Donoghue’s scragged conversion wobbled over via the upright to cut the gap to five points.

Saints struck back within five minutes, as Smith pushed a penalty deep into touch. From the resulting lineout, Danilo Fischetti — part of the complete front‑row change at half‑time — peeled blind and fed Sleightholme, who still had plenty to do but powered through a cluster of retreating defenders to score.

Smith’s conversion pulled wide, before Bath again closed the gap to five as Tom de Glanville dotted down unopposed after Saints had scrambled well on their own line.

Bath brought all six of their replacement forwards on in one stoppage, while the hosts introduced JJ van der Mescht and Callum Chick for the final third.

On the hour mark, the scores were level. Saints, via two loose lineouts, went from the Bath 22 back to halfway, and Carr‑Smith sensed space in the backfield to deliver an inch‑perfect 50:22. Bath capitalised, with Archie Griffin burrowing over. The conversion narrowly missed, locking the score at 31-31.

A nerve‑jangling period followed, as Bath put boot to ball and Saints scrambled desperately, with Pollock producing a brilliant breakdown turnover just as the defending champions were grinding their way through centre field.