Late tries hit Bristol Rugby's hopes at Northampton

Northampton 30 Bristol 8

Bristol suffered back-to-back defeats in the Guinness Premiership after late tries by Ben Foden and Jon Clarke sealed the points for Northampton.

The basement side made countless errors during this poor English elite encounter that eased the Saints' relegation fears.

Bristol did claim a try in the fifth minute of second half injury time, wing David Lemi touching down to go second in his own right in Bristol's league try scoring records.

But it was too little too late for head coach Richard Hill's side, who have now slipped to eight league defeats this season.

Bristol were fortunate not to be 10-0 down in the opening five minutes. The ball bounced over wing Paul Diggin when chasing a Stephen Myler cross-field-kick on 23 seconds.

The fly-half was then off target with a straight-forward penalty on four minutes after Bristol were guilty of going over the top at a ruck.

The visitors enjoyed plenty of territory and possession in the first 20 minutes but did not take advantage, often struggling to claim clean ball from rucks.

Barnes missed a long range penalty on 21 minutes but, as Northampton's confidence started to rise, Myler broke the deadlock with a penalty on the half hour mark and Saints were celebrating their first try two minutes later.

Fifty metres out, Bristol centre Luke Eves missed a tackle on scrum-half Lee Dickson, full-back Ben Foden continued the move before wing Paul Diggin stepped inside Luke Arscott to score. Myler converted.

Two minutes before the break, Myler extended the Saints' lead with a penalty after Bristol scrum-half Shaun Perry had been penalised for a deliberate knock-on.

Myler added his third penalty of the match on 46 minutes before Barnes kicked Bristol's first points of the afternoon with a penalty four minutes later.

Bristol made a double change on the hour mark, replacing centre Luke Eves and lock Roy Winters with Nathan Brew and lock Mariano Sambucetti respectively.

And the new signing came closest so far to scoring a try for Bristol on 65 minutes but the three-quarter was tackled inches short of the line.

Lemi escaped any punishment when he clashed with Diggin after the pair challenged for a high kick. The Northampton player hit the ground with a thud after the Bristol player didn't jump.

But Northampton sealed the victory with six minutes left as Foden left three Bristol players in his wake as he counter-attacked following a clearance kick. Myler converted to dash Bristol's hopes of claiming a bonus point.

Former Bristol Under-21 Jon Clarke then went over in the third minute of second half injury time, Myler adding the extras, but, as the Saints pressed to claim a bonus point, Bristol reclaimed possession and Lemi scored an excellent individual try.