Saracens paid the penalty for receiving three yellow cards as they were beaten 33-18 by Bath at the Rec in an ill-tempered clash this afternoon.

The visitors were regularly punished by referee Rob Debney as they saw Hugh Vyvyan, Tom Mercey and Andy Saull ordered off in their final Guinness Premiership match of the season. Sarries got off to a brilliant start as Chris Wyles handed them the lead in the first minute of the match. But it went downhill from there as Bath deservedly booked their place in the play-offs.

Steve Borthwick returned to skipper Saracens against his former club. The England captain missed last week’s defeat to Leicester and he was joined in the pack by Bath bound Ben Skirving and Cencus Johnston. Wing Noah Cato was handed his first start for over six weeks and Saull made his comeback after missing the last two months with a broken hand.

The Men in Black made an explosive start to the match as they stunned the shellshocked hosts after only 25 seconds. The visitors turned over the ball and Saull made an immediate impact by setting American wing Wyles clear down the right for the opening try. Glen Jackson’s conversion was pushed wide of the post but Sarries had made a strong statement about their commitment to the clash.

Saracens should have extended their lead after 15 minutes when Jackson intercepted the ball and was in the clear but his lack of pace proved his undoing as he stalled, looking for the pass, and eventually the opportunity was wasted.

Tempers flared as both sides scrapped off the ball midway through the half and Mercey was sinbinned for a punch. Bath took advantage of the penalty as fly half Ryan Davis kicked over their first points of the match.

There were more problems for Sarries, who were briefly reduced to 13 men, after 30 minutes when Vyvyan was shown a yellow card for breakdown infringements. Davis planted over the penalty to fire Bath into the lead for the first time.

Sarries were ruthlessly punished for their lack of numbers as Bath scored a try through wing Andrew Higgins. Davis added the conversion as the hosts opened up a 13-5 lead. After a raft of penalties to Bath, Sarries were eventually awarded one and Jackson’s effort crept inside the posts to keep them in touch after a half which, due to stoppages, extended to over 50 minutes.

Saracens were given another penalty seven minutes into the second half and Jackson easily kicked the ball over the posts as they closed to within two points of Bath. But Johnston was penalised for taking the ball from a ruck and Davis booted over the penalty to restore the home side’s advantage.

Neil de Kock was replaced after 52 minutes as Justin Marshall, fresh from signing a deal to stay at Vicarage Road next season, entered the action. Sarries’ indiscipline cost them dearly again after 55 minutes when Saull was shown a yellow card for tripping up Nick Abendanon who was surging towards the tryline.

Bath were quick to take advantage of the extra man as Peter Short used brute force to barge his way through the Saracens defence and over for their second try. Davis added the conversion to give them a healthy 12-point cushion.

The Men in Black were penalised again and Davis made them pay as he fired over another penalty.

After a long delay due to an injury to Duncan Bell, the visitors caught Bath asleep and added their second try of the game. Andy Farrell, in his final Premiership match before retirement, set up Cato and the talented back dived over in the corner. Jackson’s accurate conversion gave Saracens a glimmer of hope with 15 minutes left.

The home side thought they had scored their third try when Davis charged through a melee from the five-metre line but the referee ruled it out for a push.

Saracens piled on the pressure in the dying minutes but a misplaced pass enabled Matt Banahan to run the full length of the pitch and seal the points for Bath. The match ended sourly as skirmishes continued between the players after the final whistle was blown.

Bath: Abendanon, Higgins, Cheeseman, Hape, Banahan, Davis, Claassens; Flatman, Mears, Bell (Hawkins, 63), Harrison, Short, Beattie, Lipman (Scaysbrook, 13), Hooper

Saracens: Goode, Wyles, Powell (Haughton, 70), Farrell, Cato, Jackson, De Kock (Marshall, 52); Mercey, Walker (Cairns, 61), Johnston (Visagie, 70), Borthwick, Vyvyan (Ryder, 59), Jack (Barrell, 42), Saull, Skirving

Scoring: 0-5, 3-5, 6-5, 11-5, 13-5, 13-8 HT 13-11, 16-11, 21-11, 23-11, 26-11, 26-16, 26-18, 31-18, 33-18

Referee: Rob Debney