The Prem

Northampton (26) 71

Tries: F Smith, Sleightholme 3, Freeman 2, Dingwall, Pater, Kemeny, Mitchell, Coles Cons: F Smith 8

Bath (29) 48

Tries: Carr-Smith, C Griffin, A Griffin, Green 2, Carreras, Bayliss Cons: Russell 5 Pens: Russell

Northampton came out on top of a high-octane 18-try thriller at home to Bath, the second highest scoring game in English top-flight history.

The two sides had surpassed 100 points on the scoreboard with 15 minutes remaining and continued to showcase unstoppable, attacking flair as the play went end-to-end.

Northampton eventually streaked clear in the second half, with Ollie Sleightholme scoring a hat-trick and Tommy Freeman scoring twice as they finished with 11 tries and bounced back from defeat by Bristol a week ago.

The loss is the first of the season for Bath, who made 12 changes for the match, with Arthur Green getting two of their seven tries and Charlie Griffin also scoring one on his Prem debut.

The 119 points scored falls short of the record in the English top flight – the 127 points shared in Saints’ 94-33 win over Bristol in May.

More to follow.

Northampton: Pater; Freeman, Hutchinson, Dingwall (c), Sleightholme; Smith, Mitchell; Iyogun, Langdon, Kundiona; Coles, Van Der Mescht, Kemeny, Pollock, Chick.

Replacements: Smith, Fischetti, Neculai, Lockett, Prowse, Taylor, McParland, Belleau.

Bath: Carreras; Cokanasiga, Ojomoh, Redpath, C. Griffin; Russell, Carr-Smith; Kirk, Tuipulotu, A. Griffin; Jeanes, Molony, Bayliss, Reid (c), Green.

Replacements: Dunn, Obano, Stuart, Ewels, Hill, Davies, Lawrence, Coetzee.

Sin bin: Bayliss (26) Lawrence (62)

Referee: Matthew Carley