Saints fans boo off ref after flood of yellows turn game
BRISTOL claimed their first Premiership away win of the season in a controversial finale which saw Northampton have four players sin-binned.
Referee Chris Ridley was booed off by home fans after Bristol substitute Ian Madigan kicked an injury-time match-winning conversion following a try by centre Piers O’Conor.
Madigan kept his nerve amid the Northampton fans breaking the usual code of conduct at Franklin’s Gardens of silence during goal kicks.
No such traditions were observed this time as Madigan slotted a difficult kick some 10 metres in from the left touchline.
“Mads showed he’s a world-class kicker,” a delighted Bristol boss Pat Lam said afterwards.
Lam, back at one of his former clubs, was thrilled at Bristol’s first win here in the Premiership for a decade.
The drama started five minutes from time when Northampton led 24-19 and Bristol, who had led 12-0 early on, started to regain the upper hand.
Northampton’s problems became serious when scrum-half Cobus Reinach received the first yellow card for not retiring 10 metres at a Bristol penalty.
This triggered an amazing period of pressure which brought three more sin bins for Northampton – forwards Jamie Gibson, Tom Wood and Alex Waller – for offences at a succession of scrums and line-outs.
Referee Ridley might have awarded a penalty try but instead Bristol received some nine penalties before O’Conor scrambled over on the left – the visitors making their extra four men count off the final play.
To add to the tension just before the try the match officials had to convene on the touchline to make sure Northampton had the right number of players on when Waller was the fourth sin binned.
The penalties made for a farcical finish to a match which saw plenty of attacking rugby from both teams.
Bristol made an excellent start and surprised Northampton at the speed of their play which brought two deserved tries in the opening 16 minutes.
A nimble off-load from lock Chris Vui put his fellow forward Joe Batley over for the first while Jordan Crane bulldozed over for the second which Luke Daniels improved for a 12-0 lead.
However, Northampton quickly cut the lead through a try by the ever dangerous Taqele Naiyaravoro to turnround only 12-5 down.
With the conditions behind them, Northampton were firm favourites to win an eighth successive match here. The opening period of the second half looked to confirm that forecast when Ahsee Tuala and George Furbank scored tries to put Northampton 17-12 up, Piers Francis converting the second of them.
Bristol, despite having lost Charles Piutau and Jordan Crane to injury, maintained their attacking intent and a breakaway score by substitute Harry Randall made it 17-19.
A fluctuating half continued three minutes later in the 57th as Reinach intercepted Randall’s pass in midfield to scamper clear for a try Francis converted.
At 24-19 up Northampton looked in control only for that spate of yellow cards to unhinge them.