Northampton Saints vs Bristol Bears

Slow play from Bristol off the restart as they build up the phases while the clock runs down.

Bristol push from close range now with a penalty advantage coming. 

Scrappy at the lineout.  and Bristol manage to get over the ball at the breakdown afterwards. Bedlow sends the resulting penalty to the corner. 

Tonks replaces Harrison as we set the lineout.

Bristol push and come wide for a sure score but the last pass heads straight into touch. Lineout Saints. 

Bristol work up to Saints' 22 and continue to push. 

Bristol push back into Saints' half and slowly gain ground.

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints maul forwards into Bristol's half. Saints push but Bristol hold them and Mallinder tries to send the ball to touch but it heads straight out. Lineout Bristol on halfway.

Penalty goes Bristol's way at the scrum though and Bedlow tries to clear but Freeman keeps it in play. Furbank sends it long and aerial tennis ensues again. Eventually it heads into touch off a Bristol boot and we'll have a Saints lineout on halfway. 

Moon replaces Ratuniyarawa as we set the scrum.

Isiekwe is up for the lineout and Saints maul forwards before James boxes high. Naulago is there and Bedlow clears. Saints charge forwards but the last pass is forwards and Bristol will have the scrum. 

Harrison is over the ball again though and Saints have the penalty at the breakdown because of it. Mallinder sends the ball into touch for a Saints lineout around halfway.

The ball comes wide quickly to Freeman who charges up the left wing and does well to keep the ball in play as he's pushed into touch. But Capon intercepts a Saints pass just after and Bristol push up to Saints' 22 again.

Wide from Mallinder off the tee though and Bristol have the 22 drop out. Furbank is there and he sends it high. Bristol push out of their own 22 after collecting it before Uren clears. 

Isiekwe is up for the lineout and james boxes high off the back of it. Bristol collect but knock on just after and Saints are awarded a penalty there too. Mallinder points to the posts. 

James boxes high from the restart and Bristol come forwards but good Saints defence pushes them into touch. Lineout Saints just inside their own half.

Mallinder enters the fray and replaces Grayson as we restart.

More aerial tennis and Morahan sends it straight out but we come back for a penalty as Grayson is tripped trying to chase high own kick. Grayson points to the posts again.

Bristol send the ball high off the lineout but Furbank calls for the mark as he collects it inside Saints' 22. 

A bit of aerial tennis after the restart before Grayson spots space in behind and dinks the ball through to it. It bobbles into touch and Bristol will have the lineout just inside their own half.

Proctor is replaced by Francis as we restart.

Grayson sends the conversion just wide but Coles takes the restart again and Saints play on. 

Brilliant line from Proctor off the back of the scrum and Saints are charging forwards again.

Auterac, Haywood and Painter replace Waller, Matavesi and Hill as we set the scrum. 

Good defensive effort from Saints and they're rewarded as Luatua knocks on. Scrum Saints.

Scrappy at the lineout but Ratuniyarawa comes away with it. James sends it high a phase later and Leiua is there to take it. Bristol come forwards again around halfway.

Eden sends a kick in behind Saints' line and it heads into touch. Lineout Saints back inside their own 22.

Coles rises to take the restart and Saints push forwards again before James boxes the ball high. Purdy is under it and he sends it high himself. The Bristol fullback gets under his own kick and Bristol play on.

Coles is up to disrupt the lineout and Saints play on from deep. Proctor flies down the right wing before chipping over the top. Bristol get there first but they're penalised for crossing and Grayson points to the posts again. 

Penalty Bristol at this breakdown though and Eden sends it to touch for a lineout just outside Saints' 22. 

Knock on by Bristol though and Saints play on. They come wide before Freeman hacks the ball through to touch well and Bristol have the lineout back inside their own 22. 

Freeman claims the restart and Harrison pushes things over the 22 before James clears. Purdy is there and Naulago breaks free. Grayson eventually gets him down but Bristol are back in Saints' 22 now.

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints try to push from the maul but the ball comes loose and Bristol push forwards. But Matavesi gets over the ball and earns Saints the penalty. Grayson points it to the posts. 

Saints push close but Bristol are found offside and Grayson sends it to the corner once more. 

Isiekwe is up for the lineout and Saints start to push again. 

Grayson barrels forwards and finds Hill out wide where Saints earn the penalty at the breakdown. Grayson sends it to the corner. 

Bristol try to whip the ball wide from the restart but it heads into touch and Saints will have the lineout inside Bristol's 22. 

Grayson gets us restarted here at the Gardens!

A great line from Hutchinson gets things up to the five metre line.

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints push from close range. 

Time's up here as we set the scrum and it comes to ground with the penalty going Saints' way. Grayson sends it to the corner for a lineout.

Bristol try to send it wide but the last pass is forwards and Saints will have the scrum. 

Scrappy at the lineout from Saints and Bristol clear. Aerial tennis ensues before Purdy is taken down before he can send it high. Saints strip the ball in the tackle just after and Hutchinson dinks it through to touch in Bristol's 22. Lineout Bristol there.

Saints charge forwards before Grayson sends it across the field for Wood to chase. Naulago is back for it and Uren clears. Lineout Saints. 

Isiekwe is up for the lineout and Saints maul forwards before James sends it high. Bristol just get there first and Uren sends it high himself. Harrison is back to collect and he charges forwards before earning a penalty at the breakdown too. Grayson clears to touch for a Saints lineout inside Bristol's half. 

Bristol try to come wide off the scrum but it's scrappy and Uren is forced to send the ball high. It heads into touch and Saints will have the lineout just inside their own half. 

Grayson side Dingwall off the back of the lineout and Saints begin to push forwards themselves. But as the ball comes wide again, the ball comes forwards off Saints hands. Scrum Bristol.

Bristol collects the restart but Luatua is pushed into touch by Isiekwe and Saints will have the lineout on Bristol's 22.

Bristol push towards the line with a maul. 

Uren tries to go himself but he's taken by Isiekwe short of the line. Still Bears push and there's another penalty coming for them which we eventually come back for. Eden sends it to the corner once more.

Bristol work up to the five metre line off the lineout and continue to push. 

Bristol try to come forwards and have a penalty coming as Saints are pinged for a high tackle. Eventually we come back for it and Eden sends it to the corner.

Saints try to hold Bristol up on the restart but eventually the ball appears for Uren. He lets the forwards push forwards before sending the ball high. Proctor is there but Saints get ripped at the ball comes wide and Bristol play on.

Scrappy at the lineout and it comes down on Bristol's side. 

Penalty Saints at the lineout and Grayson sends it to touch for a lineout back near halfway. 

Bristol try to push up to Saints' 22 and Joyce nearly gets them there. Purdy sends it through off his boot and finds touch. Lineout Saints inside their own 22. 

Bristol collect the lineout before sending it high. Furbank tries to return it but the ball heads straight out and Bristol will have another lineout.

Dingwall is almost through but he gets isolated and Bristol earn the penalty at the breakdown there. Eden clears to touch for a lineout back near halfway.

Scrappy at the scrum and Harrison has to barge forwards off the back of it. Saints push from close range now. 

Free kick Saints at the scrum and they choose to scrum again.

No try says the TMO as the ball came off a Bristol leg. Scrum Saints on the five metre line. 

Another solid scrum and James whips it wide. Furbank and Proctor are in space out wide. They charge forwards out right before Proctor dinks through to Freeman to chase. The winger gets there but so does a Bristol hand and we're with the TMO to check it. 

Saints come wide off the lineout but Adeolokun intercepts and charges forwards before hacking through. The kick goes dead though and Saints will have the scrum back where it was kicked. 

Back and forth from the sides and Freeman eventually clears to touch. It comes off a Bristol hand though so lineout Saints in Bristol's half. 

Solid at the scrum and Bristol use it quickly. Saints' defence holds Bristol though and it comes back to Purdy to clear. But with Coles on him, he has to run. Uren boxes and it's charged down but the ball is scrappy after and referee Tom Foley awards Bristol the scrum. 

Ratuniyarawa disrupts the lineout and it comes down on Saints' side. Furbank is nearly through but his offload finds O'Conor instead of a Saints hand. Bristol come forwards and Saints knock on in contact too. Scrum Bristol. 

Grayson sends the ball through to space in behind and it heads into touch. Lineout Bristol back in their own 22.

Coles is up for the lineout and Saints maul forwards before James whips it wide. Furbank releases Freeman and Saints keep coming forwards.

Harrison gets over the ball on the floor though and earns Saints the penalty. Grayson clears long for a lineout back near halfway. 

Bristol look to maul but Saints hold them well. Uren is forced to use it. Bristol push on the five metre line now. 

Bristol use the ball quickly off the base of the scrum and hack it through in Saints' line. It bobbles into touch but it comes off a Saints hand, lineout Bristol in Saints' 22. 

Overthrown at the lineout from Saints and Bristol come forwards before hacking through. Saints knock on at they gather though and we'll have our first scrum with a Bristol put in. 

James sends it high again and Bristol knock on. Saints scoop up the loose ball and James sends over a huge pass to Dingwall who's in space out wide. The centre works his way into Bristol's 22 before Saints earn another penalty. Grayson sends this one to the corner again. 

Saints come wide left this time but the last pass goes loose and Freeman has to scuttle back to collect it. James boxes it high and Dingwall gets under it. Saints play on again.

Matavesi finds Wood off the back of the lineout and Saints push towards the halfway line. Grayson and Ratuniyarawa move things forwards before Hutchinson sends it high. Purdy returns it and Grayson collects. Saints play on.

Freeman takes the kick-off and Saints whip it left before earning a penalty at the breakdown. Grayson sends it up into touch for a Saints lineout.