Saints weather the storm

Northampton have developed a reputation for strong finishes this season and this was no exception.

The former European champions destroyed what was left of injury-hit Glasgow's threadbare line-up in a blistering final quarter to get their Heineken Cup campaign back on track.

After being shunted around Arms Park, the Saints pack had a few points to prove in the Pool 5 tie. In atrocious conditions at Franklin's Gardens it was, as a rueful Glasgow head coach Richie Dixon observed, a lesson in how to play the elements.

Glasgow took a second-minute lead when James McLaren drove through the middle and international partner John Leslie failed to roll away. Tommy Hayes ushered his long-range kick through the uprights.

Solid Glasgow defence meant Saints had to wait until Hayes had dropped goal against the run of play before opening their account via a Matt Dawson penalty. Within a minute of the turnaround, their growing supremacy was underlined when Tom Smith appeared to knock-on following a surging maul to the Glasgow posts and replacement pivot James Brooks snapped up the loose ball for an easy score, converted by Dawson.

The game was put beyond the visitors when Grant Seely and Ben Cohen combined to send Mark Tucker in. Dawson missed the conversion, but a penalty from the England scrumhalf confirmed the Scots' demise.

Dixon replaced both props in a desperate bid to stem the tide, but even though Hayes clawed three points back with another superb kick, it was to no avail. Substitute wing Luca Martin skidded over in the corner before skipper Budge Pountney was driven over in stoppage time Saints boss John Steele said: 'We played some sensible wet-weather rugby, but we will need to step it up against Leicester next week.' Northampton's win came at a price with flyhalf Ali Hepher and wing Craig Moir sustaining injuries.