Bristol Bears conceded avalanche of points at Franklin's Garden to lose 45-31 to Northampton Saints.
The Bears were cut open repeatedly as Saints, inspired by the half back play of Alex Mitchell and new signing Finn Smith, ran in six tries. Mitchell, who has been cruelly overlooked by England head coach Eddie Jones this Autumn, sparked a first-half try blitz by crossing twice in six minutes to change the complexity of the contest.
Wing Ollie Sleightholme and lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto followed suit before the break as Northampton secured a bonus point after just 32 minutes. Matt Proctor added a fifth touchdown early in the second period, with debutant fly-half Fin Smith kicking five conversions and a penalty as he impressed following his arrival from Worcester.
Bristol had led through a fourth-minute Harry Thacker try that Callum Sheedy converted, but they had no answer to Saints’ all-court game when it clicked and was supremely marshalled by Mitchell.
The visitors performed much better in the second half as Sheedy converted his own 53rd-minute interception try and flanker Magnus Bradbury also scored. Thacker then crossed for his second touchdown from a maul that AJ MacGinty converted, securing a losing bonus, and MacGinty claimed a fifth Bristol try during the closing seconds, but Saints were never seriously threatened. Bristol were able to play their high risk game in the second half with the jeopardy in the match gone, having to chase a 31-point deficit after 43 minutes.
James Grayson converted his own late try for the home side, with Northampton following Newcastle, Exeter and Gloucester in piling Premiership misery on Pat Lam’s team, who have not won in the league since toppling London Irish five weeks ago. And table toppers Saracens come to Ashton Gate next weekend.
Post-match, Bears director of rugby Pat Lam said: "They are a good side, I love the way they play, but we were losing ball that gave them easy-ins. 31-7 at half-time it was not looking good. We had to believe and work our way back, but a couple more turnovers made the job harder.
"We had a lot of opportunities that we blew. We qere chasing the whole game, but a lot of it was us gifting Saints opportunities and we paid the price of it. We gave them possession that they didn't need to have.
"We have to dust ourselves off, get back up and go again. All we can control is what we do, and we had a lot of opportunities in that second-half."
Northampton boss Phil Dowson made eight changes from the team beaten by Bath last weekend, including a debut for Smith, full-back George Hendy making a first Premiership start and flanker Aaron Hinkley also featuring.
Sam Lewis was handed a start in the back-row for Bristol, with former Wasps scrum-half Will Porter and ex-Worcester prop Jay Tyack on the replacements’ bench.
Bristol burst out of the blocks and took a fourth-minute lead when Thacker rounded off an imposing driving maul from five metres out, with Sheedy converting.
It was a powerful and purposeful opening by the visitors, and Saints were resigned to some big defensive sets before exerting pressure inside Bristol’s half.
And just when they needed a flash of inspiration, it arrived courtesy of the livewire Mitchell, whose pace took him clear to claim a fine solo try that Smith converted.
Mitchell was at it again just six minutes later, capitalising on centre Rory Hutchinson’s sharp break to score his second try, with Smith’s conversion opening up a seven-point lead.
An unsettling period for Bristol saw bloodied full-back Charles Piutau leave the action, while skipper Joe Joyce also went off, being replaced by Chris Vui, who made his 100th Bristol appearance.
Smith, looking calm and assured, booted a 45-metre penalty to extend Saints’ lead, before Bristol were run ragged, conceding two further tries during a three-minute spell.
Sleightholme scored the first following captain Fraser Dingwall’s defence-splitting pass before Salakaia-Loto touched down following a brilliant move sparked by Hutchinson.
Smith converted both scores, and Northampton were out of sight with a bonus point in the bag, leading 31-7 and giving Bristol a second-half mountain to climb.
The visitors had to score first to give themselves any hope, but Saints struck just four minutes after the restart as Proctor had an unopposed run-in and Smith converted.
Sheedy’s interception try, which he converted, was followed by Bradbury collecting a third Bristol touchdown, although referee Hamish Smales awarded it despite the Scotland international’s foot appearing to have grazed the touchline as he dived over.
Saints were rattled when Thacker scored again, but they regained their composure through a Grayson try and conversion that finally stalled Bristol’s revival, even though MacGinty had the last word after Northampton flanker Sam Graham was sin-binned.
Northampton Saints: 15 George Hendy, 14 Matt Proctor, 13 Fraser Dingwall (c), 12 Rory Hutchinson, 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 10 Fin Smith, 9 Alex Mitchell; 1 Emmanuel Iyogun, 2 Mike Haywood, 3 Paul Hill, 4 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5 Alex Moon, 6 Sam Graham, 7 Aaron Hinkley, 8 Juarno Augustus,
Replacements: 16 Sam Matavesi, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Alfie Petch, 19 Brandon Nansen, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tom James, 22 James Grayson, 23 Tom Collins.
Bristol Bears: 15. Charles Piutau, 14. Luke Morahan, 13. Piers O’Conor, 12. Sam Bedlow, 11. Henry Purdy, 10. Callum Sheedy, 9. Andy Uren; 1. Jake Woolmore, 2. Harry Thacker, 3. Max Lahiff, 4. Joe Batley, 5. Joe Joyce (c), 6. Magnus Bradbury, 7. Sam Lewis, 8. Fitz Harding
Replacements: 16. Will Capon, 17. Yann Thomas, 18. Jay Tyack, 19. Chris Vui, 20. Jake Heenan, 21. Will Porter, 22. AJ MacGinty, 23. Jack Bates.
Referee: Hamish Smales (8th Premiership game).
Assistant Referees: Greg Macdonald and Phil Watters.
TMO: David Rose.
Citing Officer: Buster White.
