Saints overwhelm brave Ulster

Dickson scores Saints' second try

Northampton earned a place in the Heineken Cup semi-finals with a 23-13 victory over Ulster in a pulsating encounter in Milton Keynes.

Both sides put in an outstanding display of precision rugby in a match that bristled with intensity from start to finish.

But the English club demolished Ulster up front and gradually squeezed the life out of their Irish rivals during the second half to run out deserved winners.

Tries from Soane Tonga'uiha and scrum half Lee Dickson, plus 13 points from the boot of fly-half Stephen Myler took the hosts in to the last four and a showdown with Perpignan.

Ulster return home, their European dream over but their heads held high following a brave display that saw Andrew Trimble cross in the first half and Ian Humphreys strike a further eight points.

Despite being away from their usual home of Franklin's Gardens there was no shortage of atmosphere at stadium:mk, as the Northampton faithful welcomed back their England stars in the blazing sunshine.

Hammering

And the hosts soon gave their fans cause to shout even louder when they were gifted a great attacking position almost immediately, after Trimble knocked-on attempting to collect a high kick deep inside his own 22.

And the home side wasted no time in making the visitors pay as they began hammering the Ulster line though several phases.

It was Tonga'uiha who finally spotted the gap at the breakdown and burst straight through the middle to touch down at full-stretch, as the Ulster men defended their flanks.

Myler slotted the extras to give the home side a 7-0 lead after just three minutes, but Humphreys pulled three back four minutes later with a fine long distance penalty from wide on the left.

The Ulster fly-half added three more with another well-struck goal on 14 minutes to put his side within a point of their hosts.

Myler hooked a penalty attempt wide on 29 minutes and just three minutes later Ulster gave him cause to regret those missed points when Trimble went in at the other end.

Delightful

Simon Danielli made good ground up the middle after some brilliant decoy running from the Ulster backs opened up a hole in the Northampton defence.

The winger was hauled down just short but, collecting at the breakdown, hooker Rory Best delivered a delightful inside pass to Trimble who sliced through the gap to touch down close to the posts.

Humphries struck the conversion to make it 13-7 and put his side into the lead for the first time in the match.

Myler kept his side in touch on the stroke of half time with a penalty after Ulster were penalised at the scrum.

And eight minutes into the second half the fly-half levelled the scores with a 34 metre effort when Dan Tui was pinged for holding on.

Northampton's second came on 55 minutes, a magnificently worked try created by England pair Foden and Ashton and finished off by scrum-half Dickson

Myler slipped the ball to Ashton from Foden's quick throw just outside his own 22 and the latter pair tore up the left touchline, sending the Ulster defence scrambling with some great inter-passing.

Counter-attacked

They were finally halted well inside Ulster's 22 but centre Jon Clarke scooped up the ball at the beakdown and flicked it to Dickson who scampered home.

Myler slotted the conversion but the lead was almost very short-lived as Ulster counter-attacked from the restart, pushing deep into Northampton's half.

But with Danielli unmarked outside him and the line at his mercy, full-back Adam D'Arcy inexplicably dropped the ball yards short and the hosts were able to clear their lines from the resulting scrum.

Myler booted his fourth penalty from five on 64 minutes, a fine strike from 45 metres to give his side a priceless 10-point buffer.

Four minutes later though he missed another, albeit tough, chance to extend the gap from wide out on the right.

Ulster tried in vain to claw their way back into the match but they could not find a way through and remained 10 points adrift at the whistle.