Saints 31 Falcons 13

By Ridley Hall
September 7 2002

A lack lustre Falcons went down 31-13 at Franklin's Gardens and the only consolation was that we scored our first try of the season. Stuart Grimes went over at the end of our only ten minute spell of attacking in the whole game. The problem was it was the last ten minutes of the match.

By then Saints had amassed 31 points without ever looking good and that is the big worry for the rest of our season.

For most of the game we were there just to make up the numbers.

We started with the same team which sneaked last week's win against Wasps with the exception of James Grindal starting at scrum half with Hall Charlton on the bench. Richard Arnold was still not fit and we missed him.

Saints had all the early possession but didn't threaten our line. Instead Grayson slotted a couple of penalties.

The first bit of excitement came halfway through the first half when Ben Cohen made a strong surge towards our line and only a great tackle by Jonny prevented a score.

Saints came back with another penalty before Jonny got our first score with a pen of his own.

The game at last revved up as half time approached with Jon Sleightholme, celebrating his return from his two year shoulder injury, to go over in the corner for Saints after they had spread our defence first left then right. He went in after rounding Stephenson who might have done better.

Jonny got his second penalty to send us in 14-6 down and somehow still in the game.

Would we come out firing on all cylinders in the second half? Sadly not.

A combination of poor service and sharp back row work kept Wilkinson quiet although Mr Lander might have been tighter on the offside rule. I can only remember one offside being given.

The pattern of play continued with Saints holding all of the cards but reluctant to put them on the table. Grayson added another penalty before Saints got their second try on 50 minutes from a rolling maul involving the backs!

John Leslie was held up wide on the right as he tried to go over but before we could ground him the Sainst swarmed round him and pushed him over from five yards.

Grayson converted and then Saints should have gone further ahead. Botham made a complete mess of a catch inside his 22 and the dangerous Ripol showed his Spanish soccer drills to dribble on but fortunately we cleared.

Epi was proving to be our only attacking force but he once again managed to lose possesion in the tackle. He did set up a good move in to the 60th minute with a bullocking break but Stevo dropped the ball.

Saints came back and Grayson nipped over after a back row break from Grant Seely to tie up the game.

Only then did we start to show any bite in attack. Peel should have had a try when the forwards drove over but the officials couldn't see it under a weight of bodies.

Then Grimes made amends when he joined the backs and burst through a gap for our first try of the season. It was a consolation, but the truth is we should have been beaten by more. Saints threw away a golden opportunity for a bonus point and it looks like being a long hard season away from KP.

Northampton: Beal, Sleightholme, Cohen, Leslie, Ripol, Grayson, Dawson, Smith, Thompson, Stewart, Williams, Connors, Blowers, Pountney, Seely.

Replacements: Richmond, Morris, Hunter, Soden, Vass, Brooks, Jorgensen.

Falcons: Botham, Shaw, Noon, May, Stephenson, J. Wilkinson, Grindal, Peel, Brotherstone, Hurter, Vyvyan, Grimes, Taione, Dowson, Dunbar.

Replacements: Charlton, Godman, Hamilton, Devonshire, Otuvaka, Ward, Thompson.