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Ollie Sleightholme scored a hat-trick as Gallagher PREM champion Northampton The Saints struck Bath 71-48 on a stunning afternoon at DPD Stadium in Franklin’s Gardens.
Eighteen tries were scored in total in the match which saw Gallagher PREM’s second all-time tally as Saints bounced back from defeat at Bristol Bears last week in spectacular style.
It was they who struck first after seven minutes when Fin Smith went through the gap for the opener, which he could not convert.
Bath’s response was excellent and quick as a Finn Russell offload sent Arthur Green into space, his pass inside allowed Tom Carr-Smith an easy finish and Russell a simple conversion.
The visitors were at it again three minutes later after a penalty when Carr-Smith whipped the ball in from the left for Charlie Griffin who finished in the corner and Russell converted brilliantly.
Saints were quickly back in business as some wonderful quick hands led to Tommy Freeman picking out James Pater, whose long pass put Sleightholme in the clear and Smith’s conversion made it a two-point game.
After Bath booked Josh Bayliss for killing the ball close to his own line, Northampton took the lead when Smith’s pass put Freeman under the post.
Despite having 14 men, Bath again fought back strongly as they leveled at 19-19 when the stalwart Archie Griffin broke over from close range on the right.
And they led when Kepu Tuipulota broke through some feeble tackles before slotting Green clear, although the Saints soon hit it big again when their captain, Fraser Dingwall, slipped.
Russell’s last-ditch penalty in a breathless first half put Bath 29-26 ahead at the break and they extended their lead within two minutes of the restart when Carr-Smith set up Green for his second of the afternoon.
The Saints momentarily pulled back to within three points when Pater raced in after Santi Carreras fumbled Russell’s pass, but the Argentine soon made amends when Russell’s through ball led to his interception.
Back came Northampton again when Josh Kemeny headed home a corner from Alex Coles’ pass to make it a dozen tries split between the two teams on 51 minutes.
And Saints took the lead again when Alex Mitchell scored a wonderful individual try with a kick of his own before a second Sleightholme score made it 50 points for the hosts.
There was no let-up as Sleightholme raced under the posts to complete his hat-trick and Bayliss pulled one back for Bath before Smith’s powerful carry allowed Coles to get into the game.
There was time for another try as the quick hands of Rory Hutchinson and Anthony Belleau put Freeman through for his second, Northampton’s 11th, of a remarkable afternoon.
