THE overwhelming sense of relief around Vicarage Road was palpable on Tuesday night as Saracens took a significant step towards ensuring their Zurich Premiership status with a nerve-jangling win over Bristol Shoguns.

The priceless victory, Saracens first in the league since December 29, went some way to erasing the heartache of Saturday's gut-wrenching semi-final defeat but, more importantly, gave Sarries the breathing space of a five-point cushion at the bottom of the table.

For all their talent Sarries have been accused in some quarters of lacking the stomach for the fight when it matters, but in the club's hour of need their heavy-weight performers, some of whom played through the pain barrier, answered the call.

This was no champagne victory but at this crucial stage of the season it is results, as opposed to performances, that matter. This valuable victory, achieved by the odd try in three, was founded on a gutsy and determined display with the emphasis on ferve rather than finesse.

Given the recent form guide, a game of this magnitude played in dreadful conditions was never going to be a classic and so it proved. The major surprise was that the match featured just three tries between two sides who have shipped over 1000 points and 114 tries between them this season.

Two of them were scored by the home side in the space of 12 first-half minutes which, ultimately, swung the match in their favour. However, they made hard work of it.

The Men in Black have made a habit of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and conjuring up nail-biting finishes over recent campaign's but, at a critical juncture in the season, one finally swung their way.

An indifferent performance, not helped by a shambolic line-out display, was epitomised by an erratic display from Andy Goode, who interspersed the brilliant with the ordinary. The fly-half landed two brilliant touchline conversions, a stunning 50 metre drop goal and was the architect of Sarries second try, but he squandered three straight-forward penalties that almost cost his side dear.

Indeed, Sarries wretched recent luck looked set to be continuing when Richard Haughton was denied a try inside two minutes when he left Matt Salter trailing in his wake down the right flank to scorch under the posts. However, the touch judge incorrectly deemed Haughton to have stepped into touch and Sarries were denied a dream start.

The sense of injustice was compounded by Goode's missed penalty on four minutes and then extended on eight minutes when Bristol scored in the first and only time they entered the Sarries 22 during the first half. A classic catch-and-drive from a line-out was executed to perfection and allowed Andrew Sheridan, Bristol's flanker-cum prop, to barge his way over.

Sarries, and Haughton, however were not to be denied. A smart piece of thinking from Tim Horan and Kevin Sorrell sent O'Mahony flying down the left wing after a quick drop out in the Sarries 22. The Irish wing was stopped short of the line but Sarries secured quick ball and a slick cross-field move featuring Bracken, Goode, Johnston and Chesney, sent Haughton, a constant threat throughout, flying over in the corner for his fourth try of the season.

Goode adroitly slotted the touchline conversion but then missed two presentable penalties in the space of five minutes.

The fly-half, whose tactical kicking enabled Sarries to dictate the first-half, atoned for his aberattions with a delightful cross-field kick on 23 minutes to find Ben Johnston and the England centre plucked the ball out of the air to send O'Mahony in for simple score. Goode again brilliantly converted and then, after Drahm had reduced the arrears with a penalty on 28 minutes, ended the half with a stunning 50 metre drop goal.

The mental and physical exertions of Saturday's match and the sense of occasion finally took it's toll on Sarries in the second-half. They fell away badly and failed to muster a point against a Bristol who had conceded 82 points in the second-half of their last three matches.

To their credit, their defence stood firm to smother a wave of attacks from the visitors who, despite a fine performance from their marauding pack, lacked that spark of ingenuity to score from open play. Subsequently, they relied heavily on the set-piece, particularly the line-out where they comprehensively held the upperhand, and the boot of Drahm.

The Australian full-back made no mistake with another close-range penalty just two minutes after the restart and another on 71 minutes to leave the match on tenterhooks.

Goode could have made life easier for his side but he opted for a quick tap on 49 minutes when he should have gone for goal, dragged a 66th minute penalty wide of the post and snatched at a drop goal in injury-time.

Sarries' hearts were in their mouth in the eighth, and final, minute of injury time when the referee blew for a Bristol penalty inside the Sarries half after Johnny Marsters had inexplicably pulled down a line-out drive.

But the referee reversed the decision after Saul Nelson, the Bristol hooker, had been penalised for excessive rucking. Sarries cleared the danger and the final whistle saw the same players who had sunk to their knees in despair on Saturday punch the air in delight.

May 6, 2003 11:30