European Club Rugby : Benetton Treviso v Northampton Saints

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Benetton Treviso v Northampton Saints

Benetton Treviso	18 - 21	Northampton Saints
Stadio Comunale di Monigo, Treviso Att: 2,500
Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon
Saturday 19th December 2009, 15:30
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Match report

Northampton Saints claimed a narrow victory against Benetton Treviso after withstanding a late comeback from the Italians.

A late penalty try from Treviso brought the Italians to within a score of their much-fancied opponents who were forced to close shop in the final minutes to hold onto the win.

Saints led 7-3 at half-time through Phil Dowson's try and scored twice more through Jon Clarke and Courtney Lawes but they were forced on the back foot by a score from Emiliano Mulieri and that late penalty try, with Neil Best in the sin bin.

However the victory was still enough to send Northampton top of Pool One overnight before rivals Munster face Perpignan.

Saints were forced to work hard for their bonus point win at Franklin?s Gardens last week but any thought of repeating that at were put on hold during a highly competitive first half.

The tie was delayed for more than an hour while the snow was shovelled from the pitch and the late change looked to have effected Northampton far more than there hosts, judging by their performance in the first half.

Fly-half Stephen Myler missed his first attempt on eight minutes before Roger Wilson handed Goosen the chance to take the lead, only for the Treviso fly-half to strike the posts.

Chris Ashton's error almost gifted Treviso a score but the Italians failed top make the most of their opportunity and the frustration soon spilled over when Lee Dixon and skipper Dylan Hartley were both spoken to be referee Peter Fitzgibbon following a showing match in midfield.

However Treviso continued to miss their chances as Goosen was wide with a drop goal and second penalty attempt before finally landing the opening points on 24 minutes after Ashton was robbed as he attempted to run out of defence.

The South African goal-kicker continued to let Northampton off the hook with another miss on 30 minutes and it was to prove costly as Saints struck just before half-time through Dowson.

Fodden looked Northampton's most dangerous threat and his break sparked a try against the run of play. Ashton was twice involved before Myler's clever cross-field kick was collected by Dowson who was awarded the score by the video official as Treviso protested. Myler converted to hand Saints a 7-3 half-time lead.

Fodden should have doubled that score within a minute of the second half but after beating two defenders he lost control of the ball as he attempted to touch down with one hand and the score was ruled out.

Joe Ansbro also knocked on when handed half a chance but there was no mistake when James Downey burst through the Treviso midfield before handing the scoring pass to Clarke, who touched down under the posts.

Myler converted for 14-3 but again Treviso struck back when wing Mulieri won the race before Tobias Botes penalty narrowed the lead to three points.

Northampton nerves looked to have been settled Ashton?s break sent Courtney over for their third score.

But the home side produced a late rally and after Goosen was held up over the line, Best was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul and moments later, Treviso's scrum used the extra man to their advantage to gain a penalty try. Botes converted but it was not enough to secure victory.

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Benetton Treviso

Northampton Saints

Pos

Player

Pos

Luke McLean

Ben Foden

Emiliano Mulieri

Chris Ashton

Alberto Sgarbi

Jon Clarke

Gonzalo Garcia

James Downey

Andrew Vilk

Joe Ansbro

Marius Goosen

Steve Myler

Simon Picone

Lee Dickson

Michele Rizzo

Soane Tongauiha

Leonardo Ghiraldini

Dylan Hartley (capt)

Ignacio Fernandez Rouyet

Euan Murray

Antonio Pavanello (capt)

Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe

Cornelius van Zyl

Juandre Kruger

Benjamin Vermaak

Phil Dowson

Alessandro Zanni

Neil Best

Dion Kingi

Roger Wilson

Replacements

Diego Vidal

Brett Sharman

Augusto Allori

Brian Mujati

Pedro di Santo

Santiago Bonorino

Enrico Pavanello

Christian Day

Marco Filippucci

Courtney Lawes

Fabio Semenzato

Alan Dickens

Fraser Waters

Shane Geraghty

Tobias Botes

Chris Mayor

Penalty Tries

First half timeline
25	Benetton Treviso	Penalty kick - M Goosen
36	Benetton Treviso	Substitution - P di Santo on for I Fernandez Rouyet
38	Northampton Saints	Try - P Dowson
39	Northampton Saints	Conversion - S Myler
Second half timeline
45	Northampton Saints	Try - J Clarke
45	Benetton Treviso	Substitution - T Botes on for S Picone
46	Northampton Saints	Conversion - S Myler
51	Benetton Treviso	Try - E Mulieri
55	Benetton Treviso	Penalty kick - T Botes
55	Northampton Saints	Substitution - C Lawes on for I Fernandez Lobbe
56	Benetton Treviso	Substitution - A Allori on for M Rizzo
58	Northampton Saints	Substitution - S Geraghty on for S Myler
60	Northampton Saints	Substitution - C Mayor on for J Ansbro
65	Northampton Saints	Substitution - B Mujati on for E Murray
69	Northampton Saints	Try - P Dowson
70	Northampton Saints	Conversion - S Geraghty
72	Benetton Treviso	Conversion -
72	Northampton Saints	Yellow card - N Best
73	Benetton Treviso	Conversion - T Botes
77	Benetton Treviso	Substitution - D Vidal on for L Ghiraldini

Results so far

Benetton Treviso

Date	Stage	Opposition	Score
22/1/10	Pool 1	Perpignan	L 6-34
16/1/10	Pool 1	Munster	L 7-44
19/12/09	Pool 1	Northampton Saints	L 18-21
12/12/09	Pool 1	Northampton Saints	L 18-30
17/10/09	Pool 1	Munster	L 10-41
10/10/09	Pool 1	Perpignan	W 9-8

Northampton Saints

Date	Stage	Opposition	Score
10/4/10	Quarter Finals	Munster	L 19-33
22/1/10	Pool 1	Munster	L 9-12
17/1/10	Pool 1	Perpignan	W 34-0
19/12/09	Pool 1	Benetton Treviso	W 21-18
12/12/09	Pool 1	Benetton Treviso	W 30-18
16/10/09	Pool 1	Perpignan	L 13-29
10/10/09	Pool 1	Munster	W 31-27

Previous Heineken Cup meetings

Date	Stage	Home	Score	Away
Sat 19th Dec 09	Pool 1	Benetton Treviso	18 - 21	Northampton Saints
Sat 12th Dec 09	Pool 1	Northampton Saints	30 - 18	Benetton Treviso

Heineken CupHistory

Benetton Treviso

2009/10 - Pool 1

2008/09 - Pool 3

2007/08 - Pool 1

2006/07 - Pool 1

2005/06 - Pool 4

2004/05 - Pool 2

2003/04 - Pool 5

2001/02 - Pool 2

1999/00 - Pool 5

1998/99 - Pool D

1997/98 - Pool E

1996/97 - Pool A

1995/96 - Pool A

Northampton Saints

2009/10 - Quarter Finals

2006/07 - Semi Finals

2004/05 - Quarter Finals

2003/04 - Pool 4

2002/03 - Quarter Finals

2001/02 - Pool 5

2000/01 - Pool 1

1999/00 - Champions

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