Boot of Goode tames Saints

The boot of Andy Goode guided Leicester to a hard-fought 15-10 win over Northampton.

Guinness Premiership, Franklin's Gardens, Saturday 14th October

The boot of Andy Goode guided Leicester to a hard-fought 15-10 win over Northampton at Franklin Gardens on Saturday.

Saints managed two tries through Mark Robinson and Mark Tupai, but Goode responded with five penalties to ensure the visitors left with the spoils.

However, Northampton - shorn of the services of injured New Zealand fly-half Carlos Spencer - were left to regret their own woeful goal-kicking which ultimately cost them the match with Robbie Kydd and then Luke Myring missing all four of their shots at goal.

Leicester started the game well and were impressively directed by Goode who will have done his international prospects no harm at all with a composed display.

The Tigers stand-off slotted three penalties within the first 17 minutes to put his side in control early on and showed glimpses of real attacking adventure.

Having fired over from long-range after just three minutes, Goode struck again soon after as Vaughan Going was sin-binned for a late shot on Ollie Smith.

With their numerical advantage, Leicester pounded the Northampton line but had to settle for a third penalty when it had seemed Geordan Murphy would find his way over.

The hosts responded well, though, and - with Going having returned to the fray - got on the board when Robinson charged down Scott Bemand's clearance and touched down to score.

Kydd was less than exemplary with the boot as he missed the simple conversion and also a subsequent penalty, with Goode showing him how it should be done on 25 minutes with his fourth penalty to earn Leicester a 12-5 half-time lead.

Goode did blot his copybook with a miss shortly after the interval and Northampton hauled themselves right back into the game when Dan Hipkiss was shown yellow soon afterwards.

Their second try was a stunning team effort with Ben Cohen starting the move deep in his own half - the England wing combined with Howard to send Kydd clear and the full-back then timed his pass perfectly for full-back Tupai to collect and storm over.

This time it was Myring who took kicking responsibilities but he too failed.

Leicester tried to stem the hosts' momentum with a series of kicks deep into Northampton territory and were successful to an extent.

Substitute Leon Lloyd had a chance to seal the game but opted to go on his own when a pass looked better advised, but Goode's fifth and final penalty ten minutes from time provided added security and they ultimately held on for a triumph that moves them up to third in the Guinness Premiership table.