Saints battle to victory

Treble-chasing Northampton kept pace with Guinness Premiership leaders Leicester with a hard-fought 14-9 win over Wasps.

The victory means the second-placed Saints remain two points behind the Tigers - who had beaten Worcester 39-18 earlier on Saturday - with a game in hand.

Jim Mallinder's side scored the only try of the clash through Roger Wilson just before the break in front of a sell-out crowd at Franklin's Gardens

Buoyed by their LV= Cup success over Gloucester last Sunday, the Saints, who are also still in the Heineken Cup, welcomed back England internationals Ben Foden, Chris Ashton and captain Dylan Hartley for the clash.

Bright start

After a bright start by both sides, the first points-scoring opportunity fell to Wasps in the eighth minute but Danny Cipriani put his long-range penalty wide.

Bruce Reihana almost immediately showed the Melbourne-bound England international how it should be done by landing three points after the visitors were penalised for not moving away.

But Cipriani brought his side level after the home side were penalised for going off their feet at a ruck, although he missed another opportunity from a tighter angle soon after.

Wasps, who welcomed back skipper Tom Rees after two shoulder operations, began to press and had a chance on 20 minutes after Steve Kefu released Paul Sackey, only for James Downey to make a superb tackle.

The Saints defence then held firm on their own try-line under intense pressure from the visitors before Shane Geraghty was able to kick into touch.

Wasps retained good possession and won a penalty between the posts after Joe Worsley was not released and Cipriani put his side ahead.

Northampton came more into the game, though, and Reihana's long-range kick just fell short after Tim Payne was penalised.

Crucial try

However the hosts scored a crucial try just before the interval when Wilson touched down in the corner from Reihana's long pass, although Downey blocked Tom Varndell to create the opening.

Geraghty failed to add the extras to leave the score at 8-6 at the interval, when the hobbling Hartley was replaced by Andy Long, while Ben Jacobs came on for Mark Van Gisbergen for the visitors.

The Saints were on top after the re-start and Foden just failed to release Ashton for a try early on, while Geraghty's crossfield kick was held by Varndell close to his try-line ahead of the advancing Soane Tonga'uiha.

But the visitors almost scored a try themselves on 54 minutes when Varndell released Sackey on the right flank. Neil Best got back to deny the winger.

Soon afterwards, Varndell showed excellent pace down the left flank before passing to Cipriani to finish, though the number 10's effort was rightly disallowed as the pass from his team-mate had been forward.

Substitute Dave Walder put Wasps back in front on 65 minutes after the Saints were penalised for going in at the side, but the home side kept their nerve and Stephen Myler came off the bench to kick a superb drop goal.

Myler also slotted over a penalty with seven minutes remaining to make sure of the victory, meaning Wasps stay in fourth in the battle to make the play-offs.