Newcastle 34-35 Northampton: Premiership result as Saints hold on in thriller after late hosts surge in match where both sides scored five tries

Northampton just held on to defeat the Premiership’s bottom side Newcastle in a thrilling match at Kingston Park which saw both sides score five tries apiece.

Hookers on either side exchanged tries early on with Craig Wright’s score for the visitors cancelled out by James Blamire’s for the hosts, before the Saints pulled away scoring three tries in the last eight minutes of the first half - as Luke Green, Fin Smith and Will Glister all touched down.

After Connor Doherty had pulled a try back, it seemed like Tom James’ score had put the match beyond reach, but Alex Hearle and Ben Stevenson kept the hosts in the match with tries and then, four minutes from time, Max Pepper ran 60 metres to bring the Falcons within a kick of victory.

Ultimately, Northampton ended a run of nine straight away defeats with the only possible worry, for Saints and Lions fans, being the way Smith was limping the rest of the match after scoring his try in the first half.

The win keeps Northampton in with a chance of a top-four finish, leaving them still in eighth but eight points behind fourth-place Gloucester with three matches remaining after this round. The Falcons remain bottom, eight points behind Exeter.

"We were going to have to be gritty, this was a gritty team we were playing against," Northampton director of rugby Phil Dowson said on TNT Sports.

"Guys like Will Glister making his first premiership start and Craig Wright making his first Premiership start - they were fantastic."

"Their attacking shape looked really good," TNT Sports pundit Brian O'Driscoll said.

"They inspired the crowd and if they hadn’t conceded the James try, it could have been different - that was the nail in the coffin."

"Ultimately, it's disappointing, but really, really proud and really, really positive about the courage the guys showed," coach Alan Dickens said.

"But for nine minutes at the end of the first half, we played really well. 

"I know we had two conversions from the touchline but if one of those goes over it could have been different."

The Falcons could not get out of their 22 and a penalty is awarded, allowing the relieved Saints to kick a penalty out of play and break their drought on the road.

The scrum collapses and it is the Falcons' doing so the Saints get a crucial penalty.

We have a one-point game with three minutes remaining.

A big mistake from Smith as he tries a low kick forward but it is too close to the defender and it bounces forward in front of Pepper who races over 60 metres to touch down under the posts.

Newcastle were pressing but Stevenson seeing a defender coming up to crunch him took his eyes off the ball and knocked on.

It looked a good attempt from Connon from the touchline but it just curled too much and missed to the near side.

The Falcons are alive! The ball is sent wide from Fletcher to Stevenson who catches the ball over his head before racing to the line and after first being tackled short, he goes over at the second attempt.

The Falcons get within two converted tries of the Saints.

They're not giving up Newcastle, a long pass from Stuart finds the Falcons winger who bursts in between two tacklers to score.

Smith kicks from straight in front. It is a little bemusing why he is still on the field given the limping mind.

He's still limping Smith but he fakes a pass then brushes off two tackles before off-loading to Odendaal who passes back inside to the Saints number nine who runs under the posts.

It was a forward pass from Northampton. Litchfield's reaction was telling.

That has taken the air out of the stadium. Litchfield wasn't sure whether it should stand but he touches down and the try is given before a check...

And it sees the Saints get close to the Falcons line.

A fine kick from Smith to the corner and Seabrook just fails to touch down in the corner.

The Falcons fail to add to their score.