Northampton 35 – 34 Bath

Josh Kemeny, Fraser Dingwall, James Ramm, George Hendy scored tries for Northampton Saints before Fin Smith kicked a match-winning penalty with the last kick of the game against Bath at Franklin’s Gardens in Sunday’s Gallagher Premiership action. Bath recovered from 19 and led slowly

Finn Smith won the game for Northampton at the death

Finn Smith kicked a last-minute penalty as Northampton beat Championship leaders Bath 35-34 in a pulsating nine-try game.

It was Bath’s fifth straight defeat at Franklin’s Gardens, but they showed remarkable resilience to claw back from 19 points down to take the lead with three minutes to go and outscore their opponents 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 added a penalty.

George Heady, Fraser Dingwall, James Rahm and Josh Kemini scored the Saints’ tries, with Smith kicking three conversions and three penalties.

England winger Ollie Sleightholme came off the Saints bench with a hamstring problem, but his side quickly overcame the setback to take the lead after just 80 seconds.

Heady secured the opening kick to provide an attacking platform before he and Rory Hutchinson combined neatly down the right to set up a try for Kemeny.

Bath soon suffered two more blows in quick succession. Flanker Guy Pepper was forced off the field with a leg injury before creative play from half-backs Smith and Alex Mitchell set up a brace for Dingwall.

Saints’ explosive start continued with a third try before 13 minutes had passed as Ramm burst through the visitors’ defense on a 50m run towards the line.

Bath needed a quick response and they got one when a deft back pass provided Kokanasiga to turn Heady and score.

Aided by a number of penalties in their favour, Bath built their first period of pressure and were rewarded when Bailey brushed aside some poor defending for his side’s second score.

The sixth try of the match came before the half-hour mark with Hendy picking up Smith’s chip in front for the Saints’ bonus point before Will Muir went off with a leg injury forcing flanker Josh Bayliss to play on the wing as Bath had only opted one back on the bench.

Just before half-time, the home side lost the impressive Handy with an injured shoulder, but led 26-12 at half-time.

Six minutes after the restart, Bath were right back in contention when Stewart crashed over from close range, but Smith was on target with a penalty to temporarily keep the visitors within touching distance.

However, Ojomoh scored Bath’s bonus-point try to reward a powerful burst from Ollie Lawrence to close the visitors to within three points in the final quarter.

Bath then lost a badly concussed Jaco Coetzee but still took the lead for the first time when Miles Reid headed home a Hutchinson kick for Cokanasiga to gather and burst past the defence.

Russell missed the conversion, as did Smith with a penalty, but the young fly-half put Saints back in front with 10 minutes remaining with a 40-metre spot kick.

Smith then missed a penalty from inside his own half, before Alex Mitchell was fouled for a high tackle on Lawrence with Russell tapping over the spot, but Smith had the final say when Sam Underhill fouled out.

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