Saints end Chiefs' winning streak
Saints had previously lost four of their seven Premiership matches this season but they managed to nullify the division's in-form team, second-placed Exeter.
Mike Haywood's try in the opening quarter and a penalty from JJ Hanrahan was enough for victory, although Gareth Steenson's late penalty did maintain Exeter's record of scoring in every one of their league matches.
Northampton moved to within two points of the play-offs, as Exeter's losing bonus point lifted them to within a point of leaders Saracens.
Hanrahan and wing Tom Collins, who was making his first start of the season, were involved in a move which almost led to the game's opening score as Hanrahan's kick through could not be gathered by George North and he inadvertently kicked through for Collins to touch down, only for referee JP Doyle to penalise the Wales star for a knock-on.
But when the opening try came in the 17th minute, it was via another Northampton Academy graduate. Saints opted to kick a penalty to the corner and hooker Haywood started and finished the move, which saw the driving maul expertly executed.
Hanrahan could only strike the post with the conversion but ensured the home side led by more than a converted score at the break, when Exeter were penalised for offside just after the half-hour mark.
It was the first time since January 3 last year that the Chiefs entered half time without a point on the scoreboard and also the first time they have been behind at the break this season.
Rob Baxter's men could have been dealt a further blow early in the second period when Thomas Waldrom was pinged for offside. However, Hanrahan was wayward with the long-range effort. Waldrom almost made amends when he gathered and kicked through for Don Armand to chase but Exeter knocked on just metres from the try-line after several phases of play in difficult conditions.
Baxter admitted his team struggled to match the intensity of Northampton in the opening period and the Saints were being spurred on by a vocal crowd inside Franklin's Gardens. Clear openings were few and far between but that did not stop Northampton from kicking to the corner once again midway through the half, only for them to squander the opportunity.
Gareth Steenson set up a tense finish with less than seven minutes remaining when he reduced the deficit to five points, after Dylan Hartley was penalised at the breakdown. Exeter continued to apply pressure but again the resilient defence of Northampton and errors on the Chiefs' part ensured Saints recorded a morale-boosting victory.
Scorers:
For Northampton Saints:
Try: Haywood
Pen: Hanrahan
For Exeter Chiefs:
Pen: Steenson
Teams:
Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden (captain), 14 Tom Collins, 13 George Pisi, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 George North, 10 JJ Hanrahan, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Sam Dickinson, 7 Teimana Harrison, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.
Replacements: 16 Dylan Hartley, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Christian Day, 20 Michael Paterson, 21 Lee Dickson, 22 Stephen Myler, 23 Harry Mallinder.
Exeter Chiefs: 15 Phil Dollman, 14 Jack Nowell, 13 Michele Campagnaro, 12 Ian Whitten, 11 Olly Woodburn, 10 Gareth Steenson, 9 Will Chudley, 8 Thomas Waldrom, 7 Tom Johnson, 6 Don Armand, 5 Geoff Parling, 4 Mitch Lees, 3 Tomas Francis, 2 Jack Yeandle (captain), 1 Ben Moon.
Replacements: 16 Elvis Taione, 17 Carl Rimmer, 18 Moray Low, 19 Ollie Atkins, 20 Ben White, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Will Hooley, 23 James Short.
Referee: JP Doyle
@premrugby
