The hard-won four points lift us clear of the relegation battle for now, and level on 26 points with London Irish in sixth.  However, for the Saints, they remain rooted on 14 points and this weekend have dropped to the bottom, three points behind Worcester.

The Falcons lineup was encouraging, with Michael Stephenson and Mike McCarthy restored to wing and blindside respectively in the wake of the defeat at London Irish, and Colin Charvis made the bench despite playing a full game for Wales on Friday.  James Grindal and Andy Buist also came into the side, whilst Ian Peel’s late withdrawal meant James Isaacson took his place at loosehead prop.  Jamie Noon captained the side in the absence of Peel and Jonny Wilkinson.

As Northampton kicked off they attacked first, and Shane Drahm, a late inclusion in the team for Paul Grayson, kicked an early penalty, which was soon equalised by a Tom May drop goal as the wing moved infield.  We took the lead due to a penalty from Matt Burke, before a long kick caught the Australian flat-footed and he failed to control a long kick.  Northampton pounced on the ball and beat the full back before Michael Stephenson made the first of three first half try-saving tackles.  We managed to win the ball but David Walder’s clearance failed to find touch and Northampton moved the ball to their left for wing John Clarke to bash his way over for a try, which Drahm converted.

Two further Burke penalties and Drahm’s second three-pointer left us 12-13 down, before one Saints attacker seemed certain to run through but was tackled by Stephenson and Micky Ward on the line and held up the ball, and so at the interval the relegation candidates (although whisper that phrase carefully in the midst of Midlanders in the South Stand!) were winning by a point.  We weren’t looking at our best, and had some work to do after the break.

In the second half we came out like a team transformed, and although Burke missed his first penalty of the second 40, a drop goal from Walder and a successful Burke kick gave us the lead for the first time at 18-13.  Burke’s fifth penalty increased the lead to eight points, though Drahm quickly reduced the deficit before Walder took over the penalty duties and converted another kick.

Northampton then had Wylie Human yellow carded for a trip, although from the South Stand it looked like he used his hand, but we Falcons weren’t complaining.  Walder’s second drop goal on 71 minutes all but sealed the win as we had an 11-point lead, but even after five minutes if injury time, against a team now bottom of the Premiership with an 11-point lead, I was still praying for the final whistle!  That’s when you know you support a rollercoaster team!

So no tries, but four points are always welcome, especially since this was a potential banana skin against a wounded Northampton team looking to impress their new coaches and prove they shouldn’t be at the bottom of the table.  The game wasn’t a great one for neutrals to watch, but it was very tight and most exciting and tense for the home fans and our partisan friends from the Midlands.  The lack of tries is hardly a problem as we have scored a fair whack this season, and a win is a win however it is achieved.

Jamie Noon had a cracking game in his first as captain of our Falcons, and Walder also played very well.  Again Matt Burke was magnificent in defence and his boot laid the foundations for our win, and if he’d been a bit closer or had a touch more pace he might well have stopped Clarke’s try.  On a negative note however, it must be pointed out that the lineout was AGAIN a shambles.  On one occasion Long threw high, clearly aiming for a second jumper, but nobody got more than a foot off the ground!  Once again Falcons – sort it!

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