European Rugby Champions Cup: Northampton denied losing bonus-point by Racing
Last Updated: 20/10/14 11:35am
Northampton Saints were left empty-handed in Paris after a roller-coaster final two minutes saw Racing Metro clinch a 20-11 victory.
Saints looked to have snatched a draw just four minutes from time when Phil Dowson touched down in the corner. But Stephen Myler sliced his conversion from close to the touchline before Ben Foden's kick was blocked by Marc Andreau who ran it back for a dramatic try just 40 seconds from time.
Johannes Goosen then added the conversion with the final kick of the game to even deny Saints the consolation of a losing bonus point.
Jim Mallinder's frustration will have been deepened by the fact Saints failed to capitalise on two yellow cards for Racing during the second half, particularly when George Pisi fumbled the ball five yards from the try line.
Jonathan Sexton kicked two penalties, a conversion and had a hand in Racing's opening try to get their European campaign off to a perfect start.
Sexton pinned Saints back deep in their own half with a well-struck kick to the corner. Saints lost the line-out and, having shifted the ball out wide, centre Alexandre Dumoulin bundled over for the French.
Myler responded for Saints, but a second Sexton penalty three minutes before half-time restored Racing's seven-point lead at half-time.
Seeing yellow
Saints started well at the beginning of the second period and Myler again reduced the deficit with a penalty. The visitors had a fortunate escape when Salesi Ma'afu was only penalised and not carded for a heavy challenge on Juandre Kruger at the edge of a ruck. Sexton then stepped up and missed the resulting penalty.
Referee George Clancy's patience finally ran out at the scrum and Julien Brugnaut was sent to the bin.
However Northampton failed to capitalise when Pisi intercepted and raced clear only to drop the ball yards away from the line, before damaging his hamstring in his attempts to recover.
A second Sexton penalty looked to have secured the win for Racing until Eddy Ben Arous was shown a yellow card six minutes from time.Saints took full advantage to send replacement Dowson over in the corner for a try that could have secured a late comeback.
But Myler – usually one of the most reliable kickers in the Aviva Premiership – missed the conversion, and then Racing smothered Northampton's attempts to run wide from deep in their own territory.
Andreu seized on an attempted kick from Foden and dotted down, with Goosen adding the conversion to make it a great start for the French side.
