"I thought the performance was much better. We created opportunities but unfortunately we didn't take those opportunities," he said. "At the start of the game we gave away a lot of penalties and were let off the hook by some poor attempts. In this game it's all about taking your chances and I don't know how many times we were over the line or on the line and gave possession away, and that's the difference.

"Northampton were clinical, they are a very good side, probably the form side (in the league) but it doesn't make it any easier to take defeat. We have lost at home and we are sat at the bottom of the Premiership. I have been at the club for six years. I have been at the top quite a bit of those six years fortunately. That's easy, it's now where you find out a lot about people. It's tough at the bottom of the league but I certainly believe if we keep raising the performance as we did today we will get out of this.

"If we win our game in hand against Wasps we will leapfrog up the table. The last thing we need to do is panic. We have to keep believing in what we are doing."

"What we've always known is that this side had the ability to win and win well," he said following their Premiership victory over Saracens - their third win in a row. "I think the last four weeks has really demonstrated now, to ourselves as well, how you have to play and the consistency you have to provide and the intensity you have to play at to make sure you come away with a win. We've learned some heavy lessons along the way, but all that hard work is starting to bear fruit."

Saracens director of rugby Brendan Venter, however, was left trying to explain what he saw as a complete turnaround after half-time. "I didn't even remotely feel uncomfortable (in the first half)," he revealed. "We'd got in behind Leeds a couple of times. They'd run the ball in the first half and we'd smashed them and there was nothing on for them. I never even thought remotely in the first half we were not going to win that game."

Venter's team has now lost five of their last six league games - an alarming slide after their 100% record up to Christmas. "In the last 20 minutes Leeds looked so much better than us and that's when we start playing like individuals, and that's the issue, that's the dilemma I'm faced with," he added. "I'm not angry. I know they want to play well, but that's what happens when a team struggles. They start saying 'it's not me' and they start playing like individuals."

"Week to week you must be concerned with your own performance," he said. "You must not get tied up with the table and the top four. It's changing weekly and this competition is far from over. We had a disappointing defeat at Leeds last week and we came away hurt but determined. We have a lot to work on in terms of being consistent over 80 minutes. But with a bit of David Lemi magic towards the end we've achieved a very good win against a team who've been on a strong run.

"We kept our composure when things got tight and we've done very well to be in this position given the size of the squad available between injuries and guys away on Test duties. That try showed why we brought David Lemi here and we are getting used to each other with every game. We are learning where and when to give him the ball and he's growing into the team.

Gloucester head coach Bryan Redpath blasted his team. "I think I was more disappointed with the first-half performance than losing the game late on. Our discipline was average, our game poor because we coughed up possession, gifted them penalties and lacked impact. When you play away you have to be smart and adapt to the referee, which we failed to do. We gave away penalties in a row for similar offences.

"We have an Anglo-Welsh Cup semi-final against Cardiff next weekend and we are all looking forward to that. We've had a lot of praise in recent months, seven wins out of nine, so we can feel pleased to go home with a losing bonus point. But sometimes it's good to get a wee slap in the face to regain your focus."

Newcastle will be disappointed and now find themselves in real danger of being dragged into the relegation battle. "We know the consequences of not winning," said Falcons director of rugby Steve Bates. "You can end up a relegation battle, but you have to be positive and you can't worry about it.

"We can't do anything about what other teams are doing other than the game you're playing. You have to stick to your guns and hope you get a few breaks. Had we kicked a couple of penalties today we could have won the game and we pretty much did the work for Bath on two of their three tries.