Bath slumped to their second successive Premiership defeat as Paul Grayson
secured Northampton's first points of the campaign at a windswept Franklin's
Gardens.
The former England goal-kicker booted three second half penalties, dropped a
goal and slotted an injury time conversion as the Saint's forwards established
territorial dominance and battered Bath into submission.
But Saint's league record crowd of 10,241 - two new grandstands have increased
ground capacity to 11,000 - still witnessed an error-strewn encounter.
Bath coach Jon Callard made five changes, not all of them enforced, following
the shock 10-6 defeat against Premiership new boys Leeds last Sunday, including
a first team debut for 19-year-old fly-half Olly Barkley, yet there was no
cutting edge in attack.
Scrum-half Gareth Cooper rounded off a brilliant 70metre move for Bath's
solitary try just before the break - cancelling out Northampton captain Budge
Pountney's earlier efforts - but Grayson's kicking ultimately proved the
difference.
Even he had a mixed afternoon though, missing four penalty attempts, until his
77th minute drop goal gave Northampton breathing space.
Jorgensen rubbed salt into a gaping Bath wound by intercepting a desperate
counter-attack deep into injury time, and the visitors were sunk.
Bath failed to score in the second period, and never seriously threatened to
show the necessary guile and invention required against a well-organised Saints
defence now under the tutelage of former Great Britain rugby league coach Andy
Goodway.
The struggling West Country club, who sorely missed Mike Catt, Iain Balshaw
and Matt Perry today, must now lift themselves for difficult Premiership
challenges against Saracens next Saturday, followed by champions Leicester
away.
The game was a hugely disappointing affair, littered with mistakes and neither
side built up any momentum.
The early signs were encouraging though after home scrum-half Matt Dawson
broke clear in midfield to send wing Nick Beal sprinting clear along the
touch-line. When possession was then moved inside, Pountney powered over.
Referee Chris White issued a warning to rival second-row forwards Danny
Grewcock and Olivier Brouzet after a 14th minute dust-up but the crowd had to
wait until three minutes before half time for something to wake them from their
collective slumber.
Mark Gabey sparked a superb attack deep inside his own half, and Cooper
finished things off after centre Kevin Maggs and wing Tom Voyce had made the
hard yards.
The second half began all square at 7-7, yet Bath could have few complaints
about the final outcome as they were repeatedly pinned on the back foot.
Barkley, capped by England on the recent summer tour of North America, showed
some neat touches, but Northampton's forwards never relinquished their grip,
with prop Tom Smith and skipper Pountney proving particularly influential.
Saints turned the screw, and although rugby director John Steel won't be
impressed by his team's overall performance, his problems are nothing compared
with those faced by his Bath counterpart Callard.
Teams:
Northampton: Smith, Thompson, Stewart, Phillips, Brouzet,
Rennick, Pountney, Seely, Dawson, Brooks, Cohen, Leslie,
Jorgensen, Beal, Grayson.
Replacements: Budgen for Stewart (80), Newman for Phillips (79).
Not Used: Brotherstone, Soden, Malone, Hepher, Tucker.
Bath: Emms, Regan, Mallett, Borthwick, Grewcock, El Abd,
Beattie, N. Thomas, Cooper, Barkley, Danielli, Cox, Maggs,
Voyce, Thirlby, Gabey.
Replacements: D. Barnes for Emms (68), Long for Regan (68),
Gabey for Grewcock (40), Grewcock for Gabey (41).
Not Used: Williams, Bellinger, Crockett, Hopcroft.
Att: 10,125
Ref: Chris White (England).
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