Northampton Wanderers vs London Irish

Moon takes the lineout and Wandies' have a penalty coming. Grayson opts for a cross field to Dayes but when that doesn't come off, we comes back for the penalty. Grayson sends it to touch.

Free kick Wandies at the scrum and they take it quickly. The ball comes out to Strachan before the Wandies earn a penalty. Grayson sends to the corner.

Ryan lifts the ball from the base of the scrum before it comes wide to Furbank. The fullback makes some ground before we come back the other way and Wandies earn another scrum as Irish are penalised at the breakdown. 

Wandies have a scrum advantage coming and though we come wide with Sleightholme looking for space, we come back for the scrum. 

Wandies clear and Irish play on, working their way back into the home half.

Creighton, Dayes and Evans come on as we restart, with Tupai, Emery and Worley departing.

No conversion from Atkins this time and Wandies work hard from the restart. 

Irish opt for the scrum again and push their way forwards...

Despite a good shove from Wandies, Irish have the advantage coming at the scrum. The ball comes out and goes wide to Hearn who gets over the line. But the wing drops the ball over the line and we come back for the original penalty. 

With a man more in the pack, Irish opt for the scrum with the resulting penalty. 

Penalty Irish at the breakdown and they opt for the corner.

Irish push at the scrum before Brand chips over. Nalaga thinks he's away but Frubank puts in a brilliant hit. Irish keep coming though and Atkins nearly slips through. They're up to the five metre now.

Atkins sends a cross field kick over and Emery just gets a finger to it. Furbank scoops up the loose ball but the referee says knock on. Scrum Irish just inside their own half. 

Irish disrupt the lineout and play on. Atkins sends it skyward but Worley is there. The wing dinks past a few defender before being taken down. Grayson clears and Irish come forwards again.

Brand tries to chip through but his nudge goes straight out and Wandies will have the lineout just inside their own half.

Short from Irish at the lineout and they press forwards. 

This time Irish have a better time at the scrum and have the advantage coming. Eventually we come back for it and Atkins sends the penalty to touch. Lineout Irish just inside Wandies' half.

Free kick Wandies at the scrum and they press on quickly. The ball comes out to Sleigholme but isolated, he's held up and Irish have the scrum. 

Brilliant work from Wandies at the restart forces their guests to knock on and the home side will have the scrum. 

Wood takes his leave as we take the conversion, with Samson Ma'asi taking his place.

Brilliant rush defence from Wandies as they chase the clearing box from Tupai. But they're penalised at the breakdown and Atkins clears to touch for a lineout inside Wandies' 22. 

Irish chip through but Furbank is there and Wandies push forwards again.

Grayson clears the restart well and Irish have the lineout but back at halfway.

... sends the conversion just wide though.

Wandies are perilously close here...

Wandies come back strongly off the restart, barrelling their way into the Irish half before coming wide. Onojaife is there and the ball comes swiftly back inside. Slieghtholme barges his way up to the five metre line before two men take him down.

We pause before taking the lineout as Browphy Clews is seen to. We wish the fly-half a speedy recover as he's led from the pitch.

Irish press forwards off the back of the lineout but Wandies' defence holds them well for a time.

Irish get up to steal the lineout before clearing just after. Tupai is there under the high ball before the ball comes into the midfield. Wandies look to be making good progress but are penalised at the breakdown. Browphy Clews clears to touch. 

We set for the scrum a few times but eventually get it underway. Irish work hard to keep the ball before coughing up a penalty at the next breakdown. Grayson sends the kick to touch for a lineout just outside Irish's 22. 

Garside, Wallace and Onojaife are on for Van Wyk, Rautniyarawa and Eadie respectively.

Irish are pressing hard but Wandies turn over and clear. Emery is in chase but Nalaga gets there first. Wandies get over the ball there but are deemed to have knocked on and Irish will have the scrum. 

Irish come forwards off the lineout and barge their way up for Wandies' 22. 

Wandies chip through to the corner but Irish just get there before the ball finds touch. They clear themselves for a Wandies lineout just outside their own 22.

Irish return the restart quickly and Wandies press forwards. Marshall breaks through the middle and makes it almost all the way up to the Irish 22. His offload finds Irish hands though and they clear. Furbank is there and Wandies play on.

Grayson restarts things here at the Gardens!

Wandies turn the lineout and Emery darts forwards off the back of it.  The home side make it back up to halfway before sending the ball into touch to end the half. 

Penalty Irish as Marshall is pinged for being offside. Browphy Clews clears to touch for a lineout in Wandies' 22. 

Wandies attack from the restart but pressure from their guests forces Sleightholme to clear. Irish play on.

Maul from Wandies is moving forwards quickly...

Wandies maul forwards before coming wide left. Isolate though, Sleightholme is turned over and Brand clears. Ratuniyarawa charges the kick down though and earns Wandies the penalty. Lineout in the corner then.

And Wandies keep pressing in defence before earning the penalty at the breakdown. They go to the corner.

A monster tackle from Strachan slows Nalaga's attack and Irish are forced to kick. Grayson takes the highball before clearing superbly to touch just after. Lineout Irish back in their own 22. 

Van Wyk makes a charge down the left wing to get Wandies back up over halfway. Tupai sends the highball up but Irish get there first. 

Irish box from the lineout and Furbank is there. Wandies push on.

Irish work hard to maintain the ball before pushing forwards. Brand clears though and Emery just grazes the ball before it goes into touch. Lineout Irish. 

Wandies push forwards with the maul before darting forwards off the base. Wood gets over the line but knocks the ball on before he can ground it. Scrum Irish on their own line. 

Grayson sends it deep into the corner and Wandies have the lineout there.

Scrappy from Irish at the lineout but they maintain possession. They scramble forwards but Sleightholme stripes his opposite man and Wandies press their way back up to halfway before earning a penalty. 

Penalty Irish at the breakdown. Browphy Clews sends the ball into touch for a lineout inside Wandies' half. 

Wandies one back strongly though and despite Irish having possession shortly after, work hard to get it back. Strachan looks for the chip through to Worley but Nalaga is there. Irish play on.

Grayson gets back in the pocket and opts for the drop goal. His kick doesn't quite make it and Irish have the 22 drop. 

Eadie comes quickly off the back of the scrum before Wandies work hard to make it into the 22. A stray pass pushes them back but Wandies still have possession and are pushing. 

Grayson gets things back underway and Irish get under the high ball again. Wandies defence works hard and Brand is forced to box. As he goes to do so though, he drops the ball and Wandies have the scrum.

... sends the conversion wide again though.

But Ratuniarawa is stripped of the ball and Brand clears. Furbank is there though. Wandies scramble back up are turned over again. Irish look for the quick ball but when De Chaves breaks through they're within metres. 

This one goes to plan and Wandies are quickly inside the Exiles' 22. 

A more solid scrum from both sides this time before Irish bring it wide. Sleightholme is there with a monster tackle though to push his opposite man into touch. Lineout Wandies.

Overthrow from the lineout and it's deemed to have been knocked on by the home side. Scrum Exiles.

Wandies get over the ball and eventually earn the penalty there. Grayson makes no mistake with his kick to touch for a lineout just outside Irish's 22. 

Irish try to maul from the lineout and after a slow start eventually get going. But Wood gets in there to disrupt things and forces the backs to take over. They come wide quickly but Wandies defence holds and pushes the away side back out of the 22. 

Penalty Irish at the scrum and Browphy Clews sends it into touch for a lineout on Wandies' 22. 

Eadie breaks to get things up to halfway before the ball comes wide. Wandies knock it on at the final pass goes though and we'll have our first scrum of the evening. 

Wandies go short with the restart but Irish just get there first. And the Exiles push forwards before Brand boxes. Grayson is there to take it and Wandies push forwards themselves. 

... sends the conversion wide though.

Irish are within inches and have the advantage coming. Referee George Richardson blows for it eventually and Irish opt for the lineout.

Irish drive forwards from the lineout but don't quite make it. The ball comes out and the away side start up with the phase play. Browphy Clews tries to go it alone but is stopped just short.

We restart with the lineout and Irish move forwards, earning a penalty and sending it to the corner for a lineout inside Wandies' 22. 

We take a short break in play as an Irish player is seen to and it's Sam Twomey who leaves the field with Sam Collingridge takes his place.

Wandies defend well and are quickly back in Irish's 22 off the drop and after earning a penalty, go for the corner. But Irish get over the ball a few phases out and earn a penalty themselves. Browphy Clews clears to touch for a lineout just inside the Irish half. 

Wandies nearly complete the move again after Furbank sends a clever chip through for Worley again. This time the Exiles get there first but the winger charges down and forces the 22 drop for Irish. 

Wandies come forwards quickly off the lineout but a bit too quickly as they're pinged for crossing. Browphy Clews clears to touch for a lineout inside Wandies' half.