Bristol (16) 31
Tries: Higgitt, Hilton, Winters
Cons: Gray 2
Drops: Lemi
Pens: Gray 3
Northampton (5) 19
Tries: Cohen, Lamont, Cortese
Cons: Myler, Spencer
Bristol ended a run of four straight defeats to maintain their hopes of a top-four finish and keep Northampton at the foot of the Premiership table.
Rob Higgitt crashed over for an early try and with Danny Gray in superb kicking form they took command.
Ben Cohen, Sean Lamont and Martias Cortese cut the lead with tries but Dave Hilton's try eased Bristol nerves.
Lock Roy Winters then had the final say as the Bristol forwards drove towards the line to clinch the points.
"If I had not rested some of our old guard for last weekend's game at Saracens I don't think they would have had the legs to cope with the pace of Northampton.
"We just about had enough energy in the tank to survive though we were beginning to tire.
"We should have buried them several times in the first half. If we had lost this game I think the momentum may have gone."
"We left some points out there for sure and we should have scored four tries and come away with a minimum two league points.
"We have no intention of giving up without a fight. There are no excuses for the position that we are in and we are certainly not proud of where we are but that is the reality of it.
"It is a pattern that has repeated at the club over the years but we have a month to sort things out and we are not down yet."
Bristol: Stortoni, C. Morgan, Brew, Higgitt, Lemi, Gray, Perry, Hilton, Regan, Crompton, Winters, Llewellyn, To'oala, El Abd, Blowers.
Replacements: Linklater, Clarke, Budgett, R. Pennycock, Nicholls, Strange, Taumalolo.
Northampton: Reihana, Lamont, Spencer, Kydd, Cohen, Myler, Robinson, Smith, Hartley, Brooks, D. Browne, Short, Tupai, Fox, Labit.
Replacements: Cortese, Tonga'uiha, Gerard, Lewitt, Hopley, J. Howard, Going.
Referee: David Rose (RFU)