Former England man Goode, who combined brilliantly with half back partner Shaun Perry all night, nudged Worcester further and further ahead as the game wore on.

And with a vocal and passionate home crowd cheering every tackle and pass it was the hosts that held on this time in a tense final quarter to claim another big Aviva Premiership win.

Hill had urged fans to turn up in force and create a special Friday night atmosphere under the lights and he got a stunning reaction from the Sixways faithful with the biggest crowd of the season packed in for kick-off.

The inspired team duly responded with an electric opening as twice booming high kicks from Errie Claassens into the early evening sky were left to bounce and narrowly avoided the hands of the charging home full back.

The home backs were also keen to get on the front foot with a slick handling move allowing Marcel Garvey break tackles down the right wing and win the penalty as Northampton swarmed back. However, Goode's first effort of the game drifted wide of the right post.

Worcester were controlling early possession and territory and after some neat phase play around the fringes, led by back row trio Chris Jones, Jake Abbott and fired-up Neil Best, another penalty awarded to the home side saw Goode slot the kick and open the scoring.

Claassens was showing all his rugby skills from deep in the early stages of the game as he took a high ball under huge pressure from the rampaging Phil Dowson before latching onto another kick ahead from Scott Armstrong and returning it with interest to put Saints on the back foot.

Saints pulled level via the trusty boot of Stephen Myler, as Worcester were caught offside, but it remained Warriors - and in particular Perry - who were impressing.

The home scrum half had Sixways on its feet when he collected a high kick and then tore through a gap. Jake Abbott offered support on his left shoulder as Worcester made 30 metres before some neat invention from Alex Grove saw the Scotland international throw the dummy before nearly setting Miles Benjamin away.

Moments later Claassens was almost away again as he attacked the line late and glided past two men before just failing to find Grove in support as Worcester again broke forward with real menace.

Worcester were showing solid defensive steel without the ball and in possession a real willingness to string phases of play together. Perry darted down the short-side before Ed Shervington and James Percival handed off men as Warriors looked to keep the ball alive.

The home pack were also fronting up strongly and a penalty, with the front row all congratulated, saw Goode could take another shot at goal and, from distance, drill the kick over to wild cheers.

Worcester were in the ascendancy but looked set to suffer a blow midway through the first half when Perry fell to the turf clutching his knee off the ball. The game was held up before the scrum half amazingly climbed to his feet and carried on.

Northampton looked to mount one final attack of the half and cleverly worked space for Paul Diggin. However, spilled ball in the tackle saw a swift Worcester counter as Perry hacked ahead and Claassens won the race to the loose ball only to see his touch let him down as the ball rolled out.

Best showed real desire against his former club as he thundered down the middle early in the second half. Matt Mullan and Shervington also powered into contact before Jon Clarke was penalised for playing the ball on the floor and Goode made no mistake to extend the lead to 9-3.

A superb restart allowed Craig Gillies take the high ball and the pack then closed in around the lock to drive the maul up field and win another penalty. This time, though, Goode failed from a similar position as his kick drifted wide right.

The penalties were beginning to mount up against Saints as Ben Nutley was penalised for not rolling away and this time Goode opted to kick to the corner. The home driving lineout then powered forward until it was cynically pulled down and a resulting yellow card was shown to visiting prop Brian Mujati.

The next lineout was also dragged down and referee David Rose this time had strong words with visiting captain Dowson. However, when Worcester went to the corner for a third time a slip saw the drive stopped and then the ball fell loose as it was flung wide.

Northampton came alive as the game entered the final quarter as twice powerful wing Armstrong broke tackles and the Saints moved ominously towards the home try line, despite being a man down.

Goode, though, was forcing Saints back with his range of kicks while Jones continued to look hungry for work as he barged into bodies to make more crucial yards in a congested midfield. Goode then danced into space and won the penalty that he drilled over for a 12-3 lead with only 12 minutes left.

With little to lose and a bonus point up for grabs, Saints threw caution to the wind and looked set to be rewarded for adventurous play when Ryan Lamb lined up a penalty after Worcester were penalised on the floor.

However, the replacement fly half pulled the shot at goal and then moments later dropped into the pocket for a drop goal only to this time slice his kick wide.

Worcester mounted one final attack when the pack powerfully won a scrum against the head and Jones picked up at the back and sprinted away. But back came Northampton and they stopped the striding back row before winning the penalty for holding on.

More Northampton pressure saw them whistle the ball through hands in the final three minutes, but again they lost it forward and Worcester duly ran down the final minute to huge celebrations as they secured a second league scalp.

Timeline:

09m Goode p 3-0

13m Myler p 3-3

30m Goode p 6-3

44m Goode p 9-3

67m Goode p 12-3

Worcester Warriors: 01 Matt Mullan, 02 Ed Shervington, 03 Tevita Taumoepeau, 04 James Percival, 05 Craig Gillies, 06 Neil Best, 07 Jake Abbott, 08 Chris Jones, 09 Shaun Perry, 10 Andy Goode, 11 Miles Benjamin, 12 Dale Rasmussen, 13 Alex Grove, 14 Marcel Garvey, 15 Errie Claassens

Replacements: 16 Ceri Jones, 17 Chris Fortey, 18 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 19 Adam Balding, 20 Matt Kvesic, 21 Ollie Frost, 22 Joe Carlisle, 23 Tom Arscott