Northampton proved too good for Bristol on Sunday afternoon, running out 36-28 winners at the Memorial Ground.

It was the Shoguns' third Premiership defeat of the season under former All Blacks selector Peter Thorburn.

The defeat by his fellow countryman Wayne Smith will now put tremendous pressure on the west country outfit.

The home side went into the game having made three changes from the side that lost at London Wasps with skipper Ross Beattie giving over the captaincy to former England lock Garath Archer.

Beattie, who took a heavy knock at Wasps, was replaced by Matt Salter, Neil McCarthy replaced Saul Nelson at hooker and Jamie Williams came into the side at full-back for Lee Best.

Smith, the Northampton coach, decided to keep faith with the same side that beat Newcastle at Franklins Gardens though Scotland flanker Budge Pountney took over as skipper from John Leslie on the rota system.

The visitors opened the scoring after just five minutes through a Paul Grayson penalty following a high tackle from Salter on Saints' lock Steve Williams. But Bristol responded quickly through fly-half Felipe Contepomi.

The Argentinian international scored the opening try of the game in the right corner, after a break by Jamie Williams. Contepomi added the conversion before exchanging penalties with Grayson.

McCarthy was yellow carded by referee Ashley Rowden for a professional foul and then Grayson added his third penalty but the two fly-halves also missed one each.

Spanish international wing Oriol Ripol was lucky to get away with a lecture from Rowden after a high tackle after a high tackle on England wing Phil Christophers. But his team mate Matt Stewart was not so lucky as he was carded for coming into a ruck from an offside position.

Bristol took advantage of the extra man and from a five metre line-out Archer caught the ball and drove over the line with Contepomi adding the extra two points. But Saints came back to snatch the lead at the interval.

Grayson landed his fourth penalty and then converted a Leslie try after the Scotland centre collected a chip through while Bristol right wing Brendon Daniel remained fixed to the spot watching the game pass him by.

Saints increased their lead six minutes into the second half through a Pountney try, from what looked a forward pass, with Grayson converting from the touchline.

But Bristol came back with Daniel scoring in the right corner and the ball was worked across the backs. Contepomi missed the conversion and a penalty before finding his mark with a penalty.

Bristol looked certain to score with a three-man overlap but the long pass from centre Martin Shaw went straight into touch.

Saints then punished another Bristol error, this time from Christophers, with England centre Ben Cohen steaming down the right touch for the visitors' third try with Grayson converted from the touchline.

But Contepomi kept Bristol in the game with his third penalty only for Grayson to deny Shoguns a bonus point with his fifth penalty of the game just before the final whistle.