Bath back top after victory over Saints
Bath climbed back to the top of the Guinness Premiership table with a 25-14 victory over Northampton which was less convincing than the scoreline suggests.
Saints enjoyed plenty of possession but did not possess a cutting edge sharp enough to open up the home defence until the final minute when lock Juandre Kruger crossed in the corner.
However, it was another South African, Bath scrum-half Michael Claasens, who was man-of-the-match, scoring two tries and relishing the physical contest around the breakdown.
Bath's first try came in the second minute when Matt Banahan latched on to Butch James's grubber kick. The fly-half failed to convert his winger's try though.
Stephen Myler sent a 50m penalty kick wide at the other end for the visitors but made amends with a more straightforward effort on 14 minutes, only for James to reply almost immediately.
The home side, out of sorts in a last-gasp win over Sale last week at the Recreation Ground, again were guilty of sloppy work, neglecting to protect the scraps of possession allowed them by the lively Northampton pack.
Dylan Hartley, looking to prove a point against England's hooker in residence, Lee Mears, was held just short of the line on 19 minutes but when Bath prop David Flatman was penalised at the resulting scrum, Myler made it 10-6 with his second penalty.
James slotted over a penalty after the visitors were offside at a ruck but there was a scare for Bath when the Springbok had a clearance kick charged down at the other end. It was only Joe Maddock's alertness that denied Myler the try.
Despite all the possession and territory they could have wanted, Saints could not open up the unyielding Bath defence.
They might have hoped for a bonus point try but Saints came back with a consolation for Kruger collecting Myler's chip.
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