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After sustained early pressure from the visitors, Saints prop Emmanuel Yogan picked up a yellow card for pulling the opposition back in a scrum on six minutes.
Deian Gwynne intercepted seconds later following a maul from a close-range line-out, but Charlie Atkinson’s subsequent kick from the whitewash went wide.
Gloucester added a second score just before Eoghan returned when they spread play from left to right for Ollie Thorley to run into space, Atkinson adding a superb conversion from out wide for a 12-0 lead.
Saints reduced the arrears on 20 minutes when Gloucester turned it over in their own half and got a quick pass with George Hendy blazing into space on the left and Finn Smith slotting over.
The scores were tied seconds after the restart when Saints raced the length of the field from deep in their own 22, Farbank burst down the right before Tommy Freeman found Smith to finish the move off the post. Smith added the conversion himself to give the Saints a two-point lead.
It didn’t last long as Gloucester replied with a stunning score of their own when Caolan Englefield worked some space with a couple of dummies to send Seb Atkinson into the left corner, Charlie Atkinson’s boot making it 19-14 on 28 minutes.
Six minutes later center Rory Hutchinson attempted Smith’s close-range grubber kick to mark his 200th appearance for the club, although Smith’s routine conversion was missed to keep the scores level.
Gloucester picked up a bonus point try after the break as Seb Atkinson worked some space to leave Ben Loader in space to dot down the left, although Charlie Atkinson’s conversion effort went wide.
Saints took seconds to follow suit and make it 24-24 as Freeman dotted the right corner for his 16th Love try after some slick hands through some slick Gloucester defense after a Tom Pearson break.
The Saints went to sleep as Gloucester added their fifth try just before the hour. Seb Atkinson chipped the ball to Max Llewellyn and he ran untouched, although Charlie Atkinson’s subsequent kick went wide.
Saints roared and Sam Graham barreled over to the post after good work from Archie McParland on 65 minutes, and the conversion made it 31-29 for his fifth lead change of the game.
Pearson saw a try ruled out for a knock-on from the restart by the TMO and it almost came back to haunt the Saints as Charlie Atkinson stroked a close-range penalty inside the last four minutes to give the visitors a one-point lead.
Saints threw the kitchen sink and Freeman was denied by a fine last-ditch challenge from Ben Redshaw on his first appearance since March, while a superb Thorley tackle denied Fraser Dingwall at the other end, his boot pulled into touch as he dived down to touch down.
There was still time for skipper Farbank to take a short pass and pounce from close range in the final minute, and although Smith’s conversion effort ran out of time, Saints held firm from the restart to secure a home semi-final.
