Match Report: Northampton Saints 22 - 20 Saracens

Northampton Saints raised the roof at a raucous cinch Stadium at Franklin's Gardens to defeat Saracens and book their first Gallagher Premiership final in a decade.

The men in Black, Green and Gold finished the regular season top of the table but found themselves six points down to the defending champions courtesy of two Elliot Daly penalties. However the Londoners went in at the interval ten points behind as Burger Odendaal crossed the line and Fin Smith landed four successful kicks. 

Alex Lewington's second-half try and Daly's conversion were countered by two Smith penalties that opened a two-score lead that was cut to two points late on when Lucio Cinti went over.

But it was too little too late as Phil Dowson's side extended their season - and many prominent Saintsmen's careers - by another week.

FIRST HALF

The early going was all Saracens' as two penalties went their way with Daly turning the second into three points from the tee for a sixth-minute lead.

With the first flex of their attacking muscles, Saints threatened to break through the defensive line only for George Furbank to spill after a heavy hit from Owen Farrell.

The visiting fly-half put in a threatening cross-field kick that was lost in the air by Tom Parton with Alex Mitchell providing a contest on the right wing. 

Saracens doubled their lead on 17 minutes when Courtney Lawes was penalised at the breakdown and Daly fired over a 40-metre penalty.

Saints' ferocious defence kept them in the fight and on 20 minutes, the game swung their way as Furbank freed his arms in the tackle for Odendaal to burst through a gap, fend off a tackler and race his way over for the game's opening try that was improved by Fin Smith.

Saracens thought they had hit back when England captain Jamie George latched onto an offload to cross the line, only for the TMO to intervene and identify an offside offence in the build up.

Further pressure was relieved when Tommy Freeman leapt into the Northamptonshire night sky to claim a box kick and soon after, from that position to the right of the posts, Smith knocked over a penalty and added a second three minutes later.

A crucial one-handed intervention from Juarno Augustus disrupted a Saracens attack and Tom Pearson arrowed a probing kick downfield that was fumbled by Daly. While his forwards bailed him out at scrum time, the final score of the half went Saints' way as Smith drove over a 40-metre effort tight to the left touchline to give his side a 10-point lead at the interval.

SECOND HALF

The first 15 minutes of the second half saw tension creep in as Saints went in search of the score that would see them pull away, and Saracens the points to bring them back into the game.

Unfortunately for the hosts it was the latter that ensued as Farrell produced a neat grubber kick for Lewington to finish close to the left corner flag with Daly adding the extras from the touchline and the gap was cut to three points.

While the bounce of the ball was kind for one winger, it wasn't for another as the Premiership's top try scorer Ollie Sleightholme fly-hacked the ball three times but it wouldn't sit up and flew beyond the dead-ball line.

Further drama was to follow as Smith pushed a penalty wide and then Mitchell was denied a thrilling breakaway score by Juan Martin Gonzalez's brilliant covering tackle.

However some consolation for that near-miss did arrive when Smith struck a central penalty and then repeated the trick from a far trickier angle entering the final ten minutes to pull the men in Black, Green and Gold nine points clear.

The adventure that has been the hallmark of Saints' season didn't leave them despite the tension of the encounter as, with penalty advantage on halfway, Mitchell and Furbank broke, probing their way into the 22. The score it threatened didn't materialise as a knock-on followed - but it took crucial time off the clock.

However, with 90 seconds remaining, it was Saracens who kept their hopes alive as Daly provided the assist for Cinti to strike and Daly's conversion cut the gap to two with 30 seconds remaining.

There was time for the restart and a final moment of glory, it came for the totemic figure of Lawes as he marked his final appearance on this famous ground with a crucial hold up of an opposing player that signalled the final whistle - and secured progression to next weekend's Twickenham Stadium final.

LINE UPS

SAINTS: 15 Furbank, 14 Freeman, 13 Odendaal, 12 Dingwall, 11 Sleightholme, 10 F.Smith, 9 Mitchell; 1 A.Waller, 2 Langdon, 3 Davison, 4 Moon, 5 Coles, 6 Lawes (c), 7 Pearson, 8 Augustus.

Replacements: 16 S.Matavesi, 17 Iyogen, 18 Millar Mills, 19 Mayanavanua, 20 Graham, 21 Ludlam, 22 James, 23 Hendy. 

SARACENS: 15 Daly, 14 Lewington, 13 Cinti, 12 Tompkins, 11 Parton, 10 Farrell, 9 van Zyl; 1 M.Vunipola, 2 George, 3 Riccioni, 4 Itoje, 5 Isiekwe, 6 Gonzalez, 7 Earl, 8 B.Vunipola.

Replacements: 16 Dan, 17 Mawi, 18 Hoskins, 19 Tizard, 20 McFarland, 21 Willis, 22 Davies, 23 Lozowski.