Malone the sinner as Saints win
By Ben Blackmore
Last Updated: 26/04/26 11:55pm
Sean Mallon scored a late breakaway try to steal the points for Saints.
Bath 9-17 Northampton Saints
Guinness Premiership, Recreation Ground, Saturday September 10, KO 2.15pm
A late try from Seamus Mallon ensured that Northampton were the side who walked away from the Rec with their first win of the season.
Both teams went into the afternoon encounter after opening day defeats, and their lack of confidence showed before Mallon's late score gave Saints a 17-9 victory.
Carlos Spencer was influential despite the dreadful conditions, dictating play in the creative way that has become his trademark.
Northampton were totally outmuscled upfront last week against Leicester, but fears of another collapse failed to materialise as the visitors proved to be more than a match for their west country counterparts.
Bath got off to a terrible start after new winger Salesi Finau found himself in the sin-bin just three minutes into the contest.
The 'masters of negativity' as Bath have been dubbed recently showed little in attack and the first half offered little to remember as Bruce Reihana and Olly Barkley began a penalty dual.
Unfortunately for the home side, it was a dual that Barkley and indeed Chris Malone would lose as both players missed three kicks during the afternoon.
Daniel Browne of Northampton saw yellow for a dangerous challenge on James Scaysbrook and Bath managed to level through the erratic boot of Barkley, but John Connolly's team lacked the intent to take advantage and they were made to pay.
First Reihana extended Saints' lead with another well-taken penalty.Then Mallon broke away after intercepting a Malone pass, and nobody could catch the centre over 75 yards.
Northampton (9) 17
Tries: Mallon
Pens: Reihana 4
