Saints suffered their fourth league defeat on a damp, cold day at Sixways Stadium as they went down 30-15 to bottom side Worcester Warriors.
After eight rounds of the Aviva Premiership Saints sit eighth in the table with seven days until the club's next game against Sale Sharks at the AJ Bell Stadium next Saturday.
Saints, captained for the third week running by Sam Dickinson, dominated the early exchanges and took an early lead through a Stephen Myler penalty, however, the rest of the half belonged to the home side. A Jono Lance penalty evened things up before Bryce Heem scored the first of two first-half tries when a well worked Warriors move punched a hole in Saints defence after 25 minutes.
Not long after Saints lost Rob Horne when the centre was adjudged to have tackled high and was yellowed carded. Warriors capitalised on the extra man when just before the break Heem again crashed over to send the home side into the break 15-3 ahead.
A Lance penalty early in the second half increased the home side's lead before the Warriors again took advantage of Saints' errors to score their third try of the game and extend the their lead.
Saints struck back when Ben Foden – who had only been on the field two minutes having replaced starting wing Ken Pisi – scored his first points of the season to get Saints back into contention when he finished off an expansive move in the corner.
The fightback gained further momentum when Saints flanker Jamie Gibson touched down after a sustained period of pressure to put the visitors within eight points with five minutes left. Saints though had left themselves too much to do though and Warriors struck back to secure their bonus point score with a Heem hat-trick and a 30-15 victory, their first of the 2017/18 season.
TIMELINE
5mins SAINTS Pen Myler 0-3
20mins WARRIORS Pen Lance 3-3
25mins WARRIORS Try Heem 8-3
30mins SAINTS Yellow Card Horne 8-3
35mins WARRIORS Try Heem Con Lance 15-3
HALF-TIME Warriors 15 Saints 3
45mins WARRIORS Pen Lance 18-3
50mins WARRIORS Try Adams 23-3
52mins SAINTS Try Foden 23-8
77mins SAINTS Try Gibson Con Myler 23-15
80mins SAINTS Red Card Horne 23-15
80mins WARRIORS Try Heem Con Pennell
FULL TIME Warriors 30 Saints 15
