It's the final countdown!

And now, the end is near......only one more game left to define our season and do it our way!

Thank you for the ride, so far, Saints. Blood pressure and heart rate is finally back to some sort of normal after Friday night’s game only to be prepared to go through the roof again on Saturday at Twickenham.

What is there still to say about this marvellous, talented and at times down-right infuriating squad? They have won with grace and style many times and with East Midlands’ grit and determination when necessary. They have had their hearts broken in places as diverse as Dublin, Bristol and Twickenham but have used the hurt to drive themselves forward to where they are now.

And Friday nights’ game saw all of those attributes – the skill and cunning from George Furbank with his superb off load to Burger Odendaal for Saints’ try and the pragmatism of skipper Courtney Lawes combined with the on- target boot of Fin Smith to keep the score board just out of reach of Sarries and carve out the win.

Hat’s off, too, to us the supporters. The absolute wall of sound on Friday night was simply awesome. I walked pitchside at the beginning of the game and the noise was off the scale – the hairs on the back of my neck were all a-quiver. And to be fair, apart from the odd exception of the idiots shouting out during Fin’s run up, the Sarries were a sporting bunch who added to the atmosphere.

If that game had been a run-of –the mill league game played in November there would have been a lot of complaints about how lacking in adventure Saints were but in a knock-out game for a place in the final the decision to go for posts showed a maturity and solid base to balance the flowing champagne style of play we have come to know and love.

The Saints pack were majestic and it seems fitting that the final play of the game involved the forwards holding up the player and ball long enough to claim the maul and then possession. An unstoppable force in the shape of Temu Mayanavanua joined by Courts and Many Iyogun ensured that that Saracen was going nowhere.

Alex Mitchell was awarded Player of the Match (not sure why ex-Saracen Hugh Vyvyan was asked to present it – perhaps someone in TNT was expecting a Sarries win..) but the award could so easily have gone to just about any other player on the pitch. The great man himself, Courtney Lawes, made his last run out at the Gardens one to remember with another stellar performance and memories were made too for retiring Alex Waller and French-bound Lewis Ludlam and Alex Moon. The young upcoming Saints have some big boots to fill but I have faith that they will fill them and fill them well as they come of age.

But now one more big push for the team and the travelling support – bring your best game voices and let’s make the home of Rugby our home for one day. I’ll see you there – I’ll be the one in a Saints’ shirt!!!

Photographs from Friday night are, as ever, provided by Red Hat Photography. And to see and hear Photographer and your correspondence talking things Saintly rugby – have a listen to Ladies Wot Pod.

And if you want to see posts and discussions from fellow Saints’ fans hop over to Saints Sinners on Facebook.