Northampton Saints end losing streak with 10-16 victory over Worcester Warriors

Worcester Warriors 10-16 Northampton Saints, Sixways
Scorecard

Northampton Saints returned back to winning ways as they edged out Worcester Warriors 10-16 in the 13th round of the Gallagher Premiership at Sixways on Friday.

This is Northampton's first win in five games as they moved to the third place with 35 points while Worcester are at 10th place with 22 points.

The home side started the game with a setback as Ryan Mills was sin-binned for blocking Cobus Reinach. James Grayson responded with a penalty goal to get Northampton off the mark but soon it was their turn to be reduced to 14-men temporarily with Tom Collins yellow-carded and this time Jono Lance kicked a three-pointer of his own to level the scores.

As the half-hour mark passed, the opening try of the game came in the 33rd minute when Mikey Haywood crossed over while Grayson followed with a conversion and a penalty goal to provide the visitors a 10-point lead at the end of the first half.

As the third quarter went without a point, the Warriors clawed their way back into the game when Chris Pennell set up Ollie Lawrence over the line in the 66th minute and Lance improved it to bring the deficit down to three points before Grayson restored six point lead for the Saints with a 78th minute penalty kick.

The Warriors had their chances in the dying minutes when Sam Matavesi was yellow-carded and in the added minutes Graham Kitchener failed to give an inside pass on what would have been a winning try for the hosts.

"I'm pleased a frustrating February is finished and we've started March with a win," said Northampton Saints director of rugby Chris Boyd.

"We lost games like that in February and but for 30 seconds we could have lost tonight as well.

"But it was gutsy and resilient, our try scoring has dried up but our defence won the game."