Saints' sins punished by force of Goode

Saracens 31 - 19 Northampton

Every successful penalty kick here is accompanied by the Beach Boys classic Good Vibrations. For Good now read Goode, as in Andy. The fly-half, a close season signing from Leicester, is kicking goals at a rate which makes him the leading candidate for best value transfer of the summer.

On Saturday the 22-year-old England A No10 punished each little sin committed by the Saints, slotting seven penalties out of nine, and adding two drop-goals and a conversion to clinch what could turn out to be a vital win for Sarries. His clearance kicks were pinpoint as Northampton built momentum.

Goode's opposite number Paul Grayson produced his own moment of individual skill after 10 minutes when he turned to catch his scrum-half James Brooks' poor pass as it dropped behind him, and twisted in a single movement for a drop-goal, but the fly-half was as guilty as the rest of the Saints of handling errors.

With three victories out of five, the opening phase of the season suddenly looks a little less sombre for the Men In Black. Instead, their coach Wayne "Buck" Shelford glimpsed what he described as a new spirit among his men. "Guts," "courage", "heart" and "spirit" all found their way into his post-match summary.

The qualities were exemplified by the sight of a lightweight pack taking on the Northampton heavy mob. They looked outgunned but tackled their hearts out, with Richard Hill popping up everywhere from the moment he set up Sarries only try for the lock Stuart Hooper in the second minute.

It has been clear from the start of the season that Vicarage Road is devoid of comfort zones, something Goode feels is paying dividends. "He [Shelford] has brought a lot of honesty to the club which perhaps hasn't been here for the last two or three years, getting people grafting a little harder."

The Shelford style was underlined here as he relegated Kyran Bracken, Thomas Castaignède and Abdel Benazzi to the bench. "Whether you've got one international cap or 200 means jack shit if you're not performing. Kyran is brassed off, but that's life."

Wayne's world is clearly not for the hyper-sensitive: Goode for one has found his feet.

Saracens: Winnan; Johnston, Shanklin, Sorrell (capt), O'Mahony; Goode, Williams; Kershaw, Ross, Marsters, Hooper, Yandell (Benazzi, 65), Peacey (Chesney, 57), Roques (Parkes, 70), Hill.

Try: Hooper. Con: Goode. Pens: Goode 6. Drop-goals: Goode 2.

Sin bin: Yandell, 43 Marsters, 67.

Northampton: Beal (Tucker, 73); Ripol, Jorgensen (Sleightholme, 59), Leslie, Cohen; Grayson, Brooks (Howard, h-t); Smith, Thompson (Richmond, 76), Morris (Stewart, 63), Phillips, Williams, Connors, Pountney (capt), Seeley (Soden, h-t).

Try: Beal. Con: Grayson. Pens: Grayson 3. Drop-goal: Grayson.

Attendance: 6,289.

Referee: A Ireland (Scotland).