“Let's
do it for Dylan” said Tom Wood.
‘Twas the
night before Derby Day and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring,
not even a mouse.
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| Taking centre stage as the sun set over Franklin's Gardens Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
Who knew that come Saturday 20th December 2014, déjà vu
would strike? This time at the local
derby; Northampton
After battling the car park that is the M25, I arrived at a packed
Franklin
A rose
between two thorns!
So with no points on the board after 15 minutes, it was like a
prize fight night, as Claire Jones from Red Hat Photos called it ...so in the
ring it was - ding ding! The adrenaline
was through the roof and so was Dylan Hartley's temper, as he was red carded for
an elbow to the face of Matt Smith, who did not require any treatment after the
incident. J P Doyle seemed only to want
to award a yellow but TMO Shaun Davey intonated red. Wow! The
intervention of the TMO sparked fury yet again! However, that said, if it'd been a Tigers
player on the attack, would Northampton Saints’ supporters have shouted red? Obviously.
Was it game over already? Was
J P Doyle a Wayne Barnes in disguise?
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| J P Dolye in the limelight Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
Well it looked like it, when a penalty try was awarded to the
Tigers and Owen Williams converted. A
consolation prize penalty kick from Stephen Myler shortly followed but it
wasn't going to be enough; I was nervous for Northampton. And then with one
minute to go until half-time, it was another card but this time a yellow shown
to the opposition, Tom Croft for his second high tackle of the game on Ken
Pisi.
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| Tom Croft sent to the sin bin Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
HT 6-7
I asked DoR Jim Mallinder what his words were at half-time, he
said;
“I'll
tell you what, Tom Wood's words were, let's do it for Dylan.”
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| Alex Waller touching down Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
Well Northampton
Unfortunately a swinging arm in a tackle to Myler saw him leave the pitch seven minutes into the second half for a concussion check and James Wilson failed to convert but there were only four points in it, 11-7.
There was never any doubt the Tigers would bounce back with one
extra man, Niki Goneva scored in the corner for the visitors with just over a
quarter left to play. Then it was time
for Mallinder to bring on the cavalry; Ethan Waller, Sam Dickinson and Phil
Dowson. But it was the deadly
combination of Ben Foden and George North who put the pressure on, with North
waiting in the wings as Foden drew the defenders and even took them on, to
pummel over the line.
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| George North side stepping defenders Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
But there was still just under fifteen minutes left to play and
anything could've happened ... and it did …. The Tigers came up trumps, putting the basics
into practise; it was try time again for Goneva who was in out wide, 16-19 with
five minutes to go. If you weren't on
the edge of your seat or holding your breath - you should've been!!
Then it was Jamie Elliot who was here, there and everywhere,
taking the Tigers to task and bagging Northampton
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| Jamie Elliot scoring when it mattered most Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
Stephen Myler converted and with 'Come on you Saints’ resounding around
Franklin's Gardens, you only needed to just sit and absorb what this extra
special victory meant to this solid, close, Saints side.
FT 23-19
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| Luther breaking free from the tackle Photos by Claire Jones, Red Hat Photos |
Even down to 14 men, Northampton
A pragmatic Richard Cockerill was clearly disappointed post-match;
“Frustrated how we managed that second half, we got what we
deserved probably.”
And quite rightly so, whereas Jim spoke of his delight;
“It was a tremendous spirit of performance, not just relying on
spirit and guts but lots of good technical and tactical work, I think that's
what's so pleasing”....
As we head into Christmas, Saints remain top of the table.