Bristol's slim hopes of progressing in the European Challenge Cup ended with a narrow defeat to Northampton yesterday.

But head coach Richard Hill took plenty of positives from their second-half fightback ahead of their Guinness Premiership return at Worcester on Saturday.

Bristol were inventive in attack and – inspired by replacement wing Lee Robinson – scored two late tries to leave the Saints hanging on at the death.

They still missed too many tackles close to the ruck and out wide, to gift Saints three first-half tries.

But Hill believes his side are now battle-hardened for an important period of Premiership matches, starting at Worcester this weekend.

The Bristol boss said: "There was a lot more heart in the second half.

"Why were we so lacklustre in the first half? We just didn't have the (same) intensity as Northampton and they were a bit more battle-hardened.

"(The first team) haven't played for two weeks and that was our first outing (since losing to London Irish). We were very rusty and lacked that intensity.

"There were a few words said at half-time and we looked a different side in the second half. The level of intensity was up where it should be.

"We have got to carry that forward. That was a better second half. Shaun Perry had good ball and we were on the front foot.

"At the break, I was a little concerned we didn't have too much to take into next weekend. You want a few positives to take you into a big Premiership match."

Bristol claimed a bonus point for being four points adrift of Northampton, to climb off the bottom of Pool Two.

But with two games left next month, they have little chance of claiming one of the three best runners-up spots.

They looked basement material during a poor first-half performance as the Saints started as they finished last weekend's 66-3 drubbing at Franklin's Gardens.

Alarmingly, Bristol left huge gaps at the side of rucks and failed to stop a rampant Northampton from offloading.

But, remarkably, they were still in the contest at the break, following fly-half Stephen Myler's poor goalkicking.

The former rugby league player landed only two from four attempts, compared to Ed Barnes, who was on target with three penalties and missed a long-range effort right on the stroke of half-time.

Northampton had scored three tries by the break. Foden caught the Bristol forwards napping on 16 minutes, before former Bristol Under-21 Jon Clarke handed off Luke Arscott and stayed infield despite a last-gasp tackle from Perry seven minutes later.

Centre Chris Mayor made it 20-9 with six minutes left of the half as he sprinted to the line after Bristol had not completed the tackle on Foden.

It could have been worse had Perry not received a lucky bounce of the ball when Sean Lamont chased a Foden kick.

Myler hit the post with a 43rd-minute penalty and was off-target again when trying to convert Foden's 53rd-minute try.

But Robinson's introduction from the bench on the hour spurred Bristol forward.

The forwards went close with a catch and drive but this was Robinson's game now.

After the ball was poorly controlled following a No 8 pick-up from Dan Ward-Smith, the replacement wing collected the loose ball 10 metres out, gathered some speed and burst through three tacklers to score on 70 minutes. Barnes converted.

Six minutes later, Robinson came off his wing and recycled the ball quickly to get Northampton back-pedalling before Neil Brew's superb pass before the tackle sent Luke Arscott over.

Carlos Spencer, who had injured his knee earlier in the second half, could have killed off Bristol's fightback but he missed an 80th-minute penalty.

Bristol had one last chance but replacement hooker Scott Linklater missed Ward-Smith at the line-out and Northampton kicked the ball out for the end of the game.

Hill had injury worries during the second half, with flanker and skipper Joe El-Abd (bicep) and wing tom Arscott (shoulder) both forced off. El-Abd could face three months out if he has torn the muscle off the bone, but Ascott's problem is not that serious.

Hill added: "Tom has this ongoing A/C joint problem, which hurts him from time to time, but he says he will be OK. Joe could have strained or – at worst – pulled a bicep muscle. We have to wait and see on that.

"If it's been torn then it could be a problem. He is going to be a doubt for next week, definitely.

"It's a three-month lay-off if it's a bad one but he doesn't think it is bad."