Fullback Nick Beal went over for two second half tries to clinch a winning
bonus point for Northampton.
He crossed in the 43rd and 76th minutes to put Saints back on the winning path
after successive defeats at the hand of top three sides Gloucester, Leicester
and Leeds.
Both sides were severely depleted - Northampton had seven players alone away
on international duty while Quins were also missing their big guns.
It took Northampton just two minutes to take the lead with a penalty from
fly-half Paul Grayson although Quins' Matt Moore was fortunate not to be
sin-binned after pulling back opposite number Bruce Reihana.
Quins' bigger forwards threatened to take early control and they went ahead in
the 15th minute when number eight Tony Diprose was driven over from a five metre
line-out taking cleanly by Alex Codling.
But the score injected life into a youthful Saints side and Grayson recaptured
the lead for the Midlanders with tries in the 18th and 24th minutes.
Northampton had grabbed the initiative and two tries before the interval from
Reihana and 21-year-old prop Brett Sturgess put them in the driving seat at
21-7.
Quins briefly threatened in the second half after Beal' first strike but they
were unable to penetrate a committed defence and Northampton pulled seven points
clear of the Londoners.
Teams
Northampton: Beal, Sleightholme, Hyndman, Leslie, Reihana,
Grayson, Howard, Sturgess, Richmond, Budgen, Phillips, Hunter,
Blowers, Fox, Soden.
Replacements: Miles, Todd, Lord, Hepher, Vass, Brooks, Ripol.
Tries: Reihana, Sturgess, Beal 2.
Cons: Grayson 3.
Pens: Grayson 3.
Harlequins: N. Williams, Moore, Jewell, Reay,
Gollings, Burke,
Bemand, Starr, Fuga, Gomez, Davison, Codling, Vos, Sheriff,
Diprose.
Not Used: Hayter, Cardinalli, Evans, Horstmann, M. Powell,
Monye, Fitzgerald.
Tries: Diprose.
Cons: Burke.
Att: 8,296
Ref: Rob Goodliffe (RFU).
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