Fin Smith’s last-gasp penalty helps Northampton Saints sink Bath in pulsating clash
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Northampton Saints 35-34 Bath: A wild match threw up nine tries before a late, late penalty kick settled the contest. Fin Smith knocked over a last-minute penalty as Northampton beat league leaders Bath 35-34 in a pulsating game of nine tries. It was Bath’s fifth consecutive loss at Franklin’s Gardens, but they showed remarkable resilience to recover from being 19 points down to lead with three minutes to go and outscore their opponents by five tries to four.
Joe Cokanasiga scored two tries with Orlando Bailey, Will Stuart and Max Ojomoh also on the scoresheet as Finn Russell converted three and adding a penalty. George Hendy, Fraser Dingwall, James Ramm and Josh Kemeny scored Saints’ tries, with Smith kicking three conversions and three penalties.
England wing Ollie Sleightholme withdrew from Saints’ bench with a hamstring problem, but soon overcame the setback to take the lead after only 80 seconds. Hendy secured the kick-off to secure an attacking platform before he and Rory Hutchinson combined neatly down the right flank to create a try for Kemeny.
Bath soon suffered two further blows in quick succession. Flanker Guy Pepper was forced to leave the field with a leg injury before creative play from half-backs Smith and Alex Mitchell set up a walk-in for Dingwall. Saints’ explosive start continued with a third try before 13 minutes had elapsed as Ramm powered through the visitors’ defence on a 50-metre run to the line.
