Northampton 30 Harlequins 31: Botica strikes late to seal LV= Cup win
PUBLISHED:
17:57 GMT, 10 November 2012
|
UPDATED:
17:57 GMT, 10 November 2012
A Ben Botica try from the last play of the game won a thrilling LV=Cup clash for Harlequins at Northampton.
It was Northampton's fourth defeat in a row, but they looked to be heading for victory at Franklin's Gardens after coming back from 21-6 down to lead 30-24 with the clock dead.
But on his Saints debut prop Ethan Waller was yellow-carded for killing the ball in his 22 and Quins tapped it for Botica to barge over under the posts.
Late show: Ben Botica of Harlequins scores the match-winning try
The Kiwi knocked over the simple conversion to secure a win that they could scarcely believe.
Northampton dominated the scrum all
game winning plenty of penalties from it, but they gifted Quins three
first half tries and ultimately paid the price.
Ryan Lamb started the scoring after
three minutes with a penalty, but a wild pass from the fly-half set up
the visitors for the opening try.
Quins moved the ball to wing Sam
Smith who stepped inside the disorganised Saints defence to scoot under
the posts from halfway.
Saviour: Ben Botica of Harlequins (third from left) celebrates
Botica converted to give the Premiership champions a 7-3 lead after nine minutes.
Northampton's second choice front
row, with England tighthead Paul Doran Jones at tighthead, drove a scrum
seven metres to win a penalty and Lamb reduced the arrears to one
point.
The home side had plenty of territory, but they could not take advantage and instead Quins profited from another wayward throw.
This time Mike Haywood's lineout
throw 10 metres from his try-line over-shot and Harlequins scooped up
the loose ball for centre Harry Sloan to score under the posts. Botica
made it 14-6 after 28 minutes.
Lamb hit the post with a 42 metre
penalty, but Quins were gifted a third try from another poor pass from
the Saints fly-half, which was intercepted by Smith on halfway to race
under the posts.
On a high: Saints' Mark Sorenson claims the ball from a line-out
Saints again came back putting
pressure on Quins in the red zone, but they had to rely again on their
scrum to gain three more points as they won a penalty in front of the
posts.
Quins went in at half-time 21-9 in front with Northampton still searching for their first try for nearly three-and-a-half hours.
The home scrum again got Northampton
going after the break, powering out a penalty for Lamb to add another
three points, and from the re-start Saints finally broke their
try-drought through Luther Burrell.
Jamie Elliott picked up the bouncing
ball and his pass to Tom May saw the veteran full-back sprint clear of a
tap tackle and pass to Burrell 20 metres out.
The former Leeds centre held off two and slid over in the left corner. Lamb missed the conversion and Botica immediately made it 24-17 with a penalty, but the home side had now got a taste for tries.
On the run: Matt Hopper on the attack
More good work by Burrell saw him
send over May in the same corner and from the same touchline Lamb
converted to draw Northampton level.
The Northampton pack won their
umpteenth scrum penalty and Lamb obliged seven metres in from the
touchline to put Jim Mallinder's team in front for the first time with
15 minutes left.
Northampton scrum-half Martin
Roberts was held up over the line and with Lamb on the upside of his
rollercoaster performance he landed a drop goal with three minutes to
go.
But with 42 second left Lamb kicked
clear instead of holding on to the ball and when Waller was sin-binned
with time up Quins and Botica took advantage.
Going down: Saints' Luther Burrell is tackled by Tom Guest
