The China Mail - Sleightholme scores hat-trick as Northampton overwhelm Bath in 18-try clash

This was the second-highest scoring match in Prem history, with the Saints bouncing back from last week's defeat at Bristol in emphatic fashion.

High-scoring matches are becoming increasingly common in top-level rugby union, with Saints boss Phil Dowson citing rule changes favouring the attacking side and an evolution in attitude as reasons for the glut of tries.

"I think risk is being rewarded more often," said Dowson, adding: "We don't want it to be 99-88 –- not basketball, and I hear that in the media from some coaches –- but we also don't want 9-3, so we've got to find a balance in how we run the game.

"But at the moment there are lots of happy Saints fans."

Bath counterpart Johan van Graan was left ruing his side's performance in the last quarter of a match the visitors' led by 10 points early in the second half.

"Ultimately, they punished us on our mistakes," said Van Graan. "We've had some fantastic battles over the years and they were better than us in the last 20 minutes of the game."

It was the hosts who began Saturday's try-fest in the seventh minute when Northampton and England fly-half Fin Smith eased through a gap.

Bath, however, hit back, when Scotland stand-off Finn Russell initiated a move leading to a Tom Carr-Smith try.

Bath were over again three minutes later following a tapped penalty as Carr-Smith's pass allowed Charlie Griffin to finish in the corner, with Russell making light of a tough conversion.

But in an end-to-end clash that was the stuff of nightmares for defence coaches, Tommy Freeman found James Pater, whose long pass put former England flyer Sleightholme in the clear, with Smith's conversion making it a two-point game.

After Bath had Josh Bayliss sin-binned for killing the ball close to his own line, Northampton took the lead when Smith's pass put Freeman between the posts.

Bath, despite being down to 14 men, levelled at 19-19 when tighthead Archie Griffin barged his way over from close range.

And they led when Kepu Tuipulotu broke though some poor tackling before putting Arthur Green in the clear.

Saints equalised again through captain Fraser Dingwall before Russell's penalty, the last kick of a stunning opening 40 minutes, ensured Bath led 29-26 at the break.

Bath pulled further clean within two minutes of the restart when Carr-Smith set up Green's second of the match.

Saints were back within three points when Pater ran in after Santi Carreras fumbled Russell's pass and Northampton led again when England scrum-half Alex Mitchell collected his own kick ahead.

Sleightholme then struck twice to complete his hat-trick before Bath pulled a try back.

But the Saints had the final say of a breathless encounter when Anthony Belleau put Freeman in for his second, and Northampton's 11th try.

R.Lin--ThChM