Late Grayson penalty sees Northampton edge thriller with Harlequins

The stakes were high, and happily for those who witnessed the Premiership’s latest end-to-end thriller, so was the level of entertainment. Harlequins demonstrated their endless fighting spirit before James Grayson’s late penalty edged Saints past the champions and secured a fifth consecutive league win. Northampton must still play Saracens and Newcastle and are building what appears to be unstoppable momentum.

Marshalled superbly by their scrum-half, Alex Mitchell, the Saints attack was irresistible, especially in the first half. At times their lines of running, quick thinking and joined-up approach threatened to overwhelm Quins. Tabai Matson’s men did superbly to battle back into the lead and into position for the win that would have secured a playoff spot. But the Saints go marching on.

On a clear, dry evening at Franklin’s Gardens and on a pristine pitch, expectation had been high that these playoff-chasing teams would put on a show. It didn’t take long for the home side to demonstrate their intent. A wonderful improvised tip-on by Grayson helped to create the first five-pointer, creating space for a razor-sharp pass out wide by Mitchell to release Lewis Ludlam. The Saints captain chucked a pass inside for Tommy Freeman to sprint over.

Mitchell’s range of passing and speed of service was doing damage and his rampaging run to the left was interrupted only by a tremendous try-saving tackle by his opposite number, Danny Care. The Saints prop Conor Carey was taken off on a stretcher after going down injured in the same move, after Northampton had already lost their No 8 Juarno Augustus to an early injury. Neither setback did anything to deter the hosts: Ludlam soon snuck over for their second try after the ball was sent