SARACENS climbed to fourth in the Guinness Premiership after beating Northampton Saints 38-15 at Vicarage Road on Wednesday, December 27.

The Men in Black built on Kameli Ratuvou's first half score with tries for Glen Jackson, replacement and debutant Cencus Johnston and a penalty try to ease past Saints for the second time in just over a month.

Jackson, Sarries' Mr Dependable, amassed 23 points and was the clear winner in the much-vaunted battle of the illustrious fly-halves with his opposite number, Carlos Spencer, booting all his team's points before being replaced late on.

Saracens were penalised for handling in the ruck and New Zealand legend Carlos Spencer kicked his side into the lead after just two minutes.

From the restart Jackson's box kick caused panic in the Saints defence and the Kiwi kicking machine was handed the opportunity to level the scores after the visitors killed the ball in front of their own posts.

He duly dispatched the kick before Sarries carved out a slick passing attack that almost put in Tevita Vaikona on the left, but he was bundled into touch on the tryline.

Spencer and Jackson traded penalties again before the hosts struck the first meaningful blow of a fairly lacklustre first half in the 21st minute.

England number two Steve Thompson's overthrow from a lineout was collected by Shane Byrne and the Irishman set Kevin Sorrell on the charge. The veteran centre slipped the ball outside to Ratuvou who sped away and nonchalantly plopped the ball down beneath the posts.

Jackson added the extras to put Sarries 13-6 up but they conspired to allow Saints straight back into the match with an infringement from the restart.

Spencer knocked over penalties either side of another successful Jackson effort to cut Sarries' lead to a single point at the interval.

The Men in Black piled on the pressure after the break and got their reward when Jackson sold a great dummy to squeeze under the posts from close range. He converted his own score to make it 23-15 and the hosts finally started to look more resolute and patient in their approach.

Ben Skirving then broke clear from his own 22 and, with just one man to beat, his pass to the supporting David Seymour was wayward and too forceful, giving the ponytailed flanker no chance of a clean catch.

However, the number eight was let off the hook when, from the resulting scrum, Sarries turned the ball over and won a penalty which Jackson eased through the posts.

Saints, as it turned out, never looked like scoring in the second half and only served to all but hand Sarries the match when, after collapsing the scrum for the umpteenth time, referee Dave Pearson walked under the posts to award the hosts their seventh penalty try of the season. Jackson gobbled up another two points before burly prop Cencus Johnston entered the fray to a huge cheer.

Former Sarries player Robbie Kydd was sent to the cooler for a high tackle on Ratuvou and Johnston stormed over from a catch and drive to give the Men in Black the bonus point.