Aviva Premiership: Stephen Myler inspires Northampton win over Newcastle
Last Updated: 02/01/15 11:33pm
Stephen Myler passed the 2,000-point barrier for Northampton Saints as they earned a 39-31 bonus-point win over Newcastle Falcons.
Myler had already kicked two penalties, scored a try and two conversions when another conversion took him past the 2,000 points landmark for the Saints - an achievement only bettered by the club's record-points scorer, Paul Grayson.
Despite losing, Newcastle can hold their heads high after a strong, battling, performance that saw them score four tries to earn their own bonus point. The manner of their attacking, passing, display was also worthy of praise.
The victory at Franklin's Gardens extended Northampton's lead at the top of the Aviva Premiership table to six points over second-placed Bath.
The first try came after a terrific passage of play from the Saints a quarter of an hour into the game. George North ran the ball back from a Newcastle clearance kick which had not quite found touch.
Releasing the ball time and again perfectly in the tackle, Northampton switched play across the park to put Myler in on the right-hand corner for a try which he converted, adding to his earlier penalty.
After the strong start by the league leaders, however, Newcastle fought mightily to get back in the match, a pattern they were to grittily repeat right until the end, showing a mental steel which they have lacked at times in the recent past.
In his first start for Newcastle, having scored two tries on his debut last week, Chris Harris scored the visitors' opening try, latching onto a superb kick-through from Tom Catterick. Catterick converted and landed a penalty to level at 10-10.
After half an hour, Ben Foden collected a rather loose defensive kick and ran it back, releasing George North into space in the middle of the park.
He smashed through the defensive lines before keeping the ball alive. A sumptuous kick-through from Myler gave George Pisi an easy pick up and score.
When Josh Furno was sin-binned early in the second half for repeated offences, Northampton made the most of the man advantage with a try from Calum Clark and penalty try from a forward drive which gave them their bonus point and a 32-10 lead.
The Falcons refused to die and hit back a few minutes later, their forwards catching and driving from a line-out for replacement George McGuigan to score.
Harris, who had an impressive game, made another forceful break a few minutes later and excellent Newcastle handling released Alex Tait to score and bring the visitors to within eight points.
Saints, however, sealed victory after the powerful North collected a kick and chase and somehow flicked the ball infield for a Luther Burrell to finish off.
The final word, though, went to Newcastle, who claimed their four-try bonus from another line-out drive which Richard Mayhew scored.
