Northampton leave it late against Glasgow

Harry Mallinder scored a late try to help Northampton Saints beat Glasgow 19-15 in their European Rugby Champions Cup clash at Franklins Gardens.

Glasgow were reduced to 14 men as the match drew to a close after taking the lead but then the Saints punished the visitors with Mallinder’s later try.

Mallinder junior came on in the 26th minute to replace Tom Collins, who was injured in a collision with Stuart Hogg’s knee, and slotted in superbly at full back. And when his big moment came, he grabbed it to earn the Heineken Man of the Match award.

Finn Russell had kicked four penalties to keep Glasgow Warriors in touch after Saints had picked up two tries from their irresistible driving line-out through Teimana Harrison and Christian Day and then Hogg’s booming right boot gave the visitors the lead at 15-12 with 10 minutes to go.

The game seemed well within the Warriors’ grasp until replacement back row man Tim Swinson was caught delivering a left upper cut into the face of Saints replacement hooker Mikey Haywood five minutes from time. He saw yellow and the home sent went on the offensive.

A penalty allowed Steve Myler to kick into the corner for a final shot at a third line-out try, but instead the replacement outside half kicked cross field to North. It was the 6ft 5in tall Welshman against 6ft Russell and the home wing’s tap down went straight into the hands of the supporting Mallinder who crossed wide out on the left.

Myler stepped up to land the conversion and victory had been grabbed from the jaws of defeat. Now the Saints can go to the Scarlets in round six with a chance of getting into the quarter-finals as one of the three best runners-up in their pool.

Final Score Northampton Saints 19 (7) Glasgow 15 (6)

Scorers

Northampton Saints
Tries – Harrison, Day, Mallinder
Pen –
Con – Hanrahan, Myler
Drop –

Glasgow
Tries –
Pen – Russell 4, Hogg
Con –
Drop –

Match Officials
Referee: Romain Poite (France),
Assistant ref: Cyril Lafon (France),
Assistant ref: Stephane Boyer (France),
TMO: Philippe Bonhoure (France),
Citing Commissioner: Jeff Mark (Wales)

Teams

Northampton Saints: Ben Foden; Tom Collins, George Pisi, Luther Burrell, George North; JJ Hanrahan, Lee Dickson (c); Alex Waller, Dylan Hartley, Paul Hill, Courtney Lawes, Christian Day, Jamie Gibson, Tom Wood, Teimana Harrison

Replacements: Mikey Haywood, Ethan Waller, Gareth Denman, Michael Paterson, Jonathan Fisher, Tom Kessell, Steve Myler, Harry Mallinder

Glasgow Warriors: Stuart Hogg; Lee Jones, Alex Dunbar, Samuel Johnson, Sean Lamont; Finn Russell, Ali Price; Gordon Reid, Pat MacArthur, Sila Puafisi, Leone Nakarawa, Jonny Gray (c), Ryan Wilson, Chris Fusaro, Adam Ashe

Replacements: Shalva Mamukashvili, Alex Allan, Zander Fagerson, Tim Swinson, Simone Favaro, Grayson Hart, Duncan Weir, Taqele Naiyaravoro

With thanks to EPCRugby