Myler leaves it late

12 April 2012

Stephen Myler's pinpoint drop goal five minutes from time took Northampton into their first European Challenge Cup final with a 16-13 win over Saracens.

The scores were level at 13-13 in a tensely-fought semi-final when Myler struck to earn Saints a final place against Worcester or French side Bourgoin.

Northampton had opened up a 13-3 half-time lead with a try from skipper Bruce Reihana and two penalties and a conversion from Myler. But Saracens hit back in the second half to draw level with winger Rod Penney going over and Glen Jackson adding a penalty and a conversion to his first-half penalty.

The early desire boiled over with a scuffle, involving around 10 players from each side, ending with French referee Romain Poite calling out rival captains Steve Borthwick and Reihana to issue a general warning with only 44 seconds on the clock.

Jackson had kicked Saracens ahead with a fourth-minute penalty form close range but Myler equalised three minutes later. Myler kicked Northampton ahead in the 13th minute after their scrum forced the back-pedalling Saracens pack to concede a penalty just inside their own half.

But Saracens, defending well, denied Northampton an opening try when a move, in which Myler figured twice, ended with Foden edged into touch as he tried to put a return pass back inside to his skipper. When the rival packs clashed again after the next scrum collapsed in the 29th minute the French official despatched both hookers, Hartley and Saracens' Fabio Ongaro, to the sin bin for 10 minutes.

Saracens, continuing to resist, repelled three forward drives before Northampton moved the ball wide with right wing Paul Diggin and centre Jon Clarke combining before Clarke's long pass sent the unmarked Reihana over in the left corner in the 29th minute, with Myler converting from out wide.

The home side almost scored again on the stroke of half-time when Diggin hacked on after a pass from Jackson, went to ground and dived on the loose ball but the referee called up the video official who ruled that he had touched down on the dead ball line.

Jackson's second penalty reduced the deficit to seven points in the 51st minute. The Saints brought on Tom Smith in the 69th minute for the final time at Franklin's Gardens before he retires - but he could still be wheeled out one more time for the final. The home side's defensive resilience finally cracked in the 73rd minute when Saracens centre Adam Powell sent Penney in down the right and Jackson converted to level the scores.

But, with the match seemingly heading for extra time, Saints came again to set up the chance for Myler to land his coolly-taken winning drop goal from nearly 40 metres out in the 75th minute and they maintained the pressure to deny Saracens any chance to retaliate.

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