But the scoreline does not tell the full story as the Italian side led 20-19 with 15 minutes remaining before the Saints extra power eventually told.

The decisive score came with just eight minutes remaining when Saints’ centre Fraser Dingwall charged through for the bonus point try from Henry Taylor’s pass.

🎧 @HarryMal10 🎧

It had to be!! pic.twitter.com/A9MebEAkl8

— Northampton Saints 😇 (@SaintsRugby) January 12, 2020

Northampton then put the icing on the cake as replacement Andy Symons showed his power to score under the posts.

The home side had enjoyed the perfect start when Harry Mallinder celebrated his return to action after a 15-month injury absence with the first try after only six minutes.

A perfectly worked move from the scrum created the overlap on the right flank and Mallinder was in position to dart over wide out.

But the Saints failed to build on their territorial advantage and were denied a second try when Olly Sleightholme went in wide out but James Grayson’s looping pass to the winger was ruled forward.

Benetton had hardly landed a blow up to this point apart from Tomasso Allan’s penalty but they rocked the home side six minutes from the break when centre Tommaso Benvenuti intercepted Francois van Wyk’s pass on half-way on race over to give Benetton a 10-5 interval lead.

#NORvBEN 33' [5-10] Metaaaaaaaaaa! Ottimo intercetto a metà campo da parte di Tommaso Benvenuti che corre oltre la linea e schiaccia. Allan trasforma! pic.twitter.com/v9Wvo2xJPB

— Benetton Rugby 🦁 (@BenettonRugby) January 12, 2020

Hooker Hame Faiva increased the pressure on Northampton when he rampaged over from a line-out maul but Northampton, who also had tries from Henry Taylor and van Wyk and 12 points from the boot of James Grayson, were not to be denied.

Northampton complete their Pool 1 campaign at at Lyon next Saturday while Benetton host top of the table Leinster on the same day.