With another sluggish opening ultimately leading to defeat at the Stoop, Michael Paterson says that the Saints can’t afford to keep falling behind with the added pressure that brings.
Despite an early try for Quins, the Saints edged their way back into Saturday afternoon’s contest before the break. Come full-time, however, three Stephen Myler penalties were all they had to show for their efforts as the hosts closed out the game in dominant fashion.
“It’s a disappointing afternoon for us,” Paterson told SaintsTV. “We talked about pinning them down in their own half and playing the field possession in the second half, but it wasn’t to be. We let them get on a bit of a roll and at the minute, we’re not enjoying having to come from behind. It’s not the way we want to play.”
While a new challenge awaits this week in the Champions Cup, the second row is under no illusions as to the challenge they face on Saturday and also sympathised with frustrated supporters.
“It’s a fresh start going into Europe, but that doesn’t make it any easier. Montpellier have a huge pack and some fancy backs so we’re going to have to be on our game and front up.
“We obviously enjoy playing at Franklin’s Gardens because we’ve got a great set of supporters. They’re always behind us, but we’ve got to repay them and make sure they’re supporting us for the right reasons.”
