SARACENS head to Biarritz next weekend full of confidence after launching their Heineken Cup challenge with a narrow 33-31 bonus point victory over Glasgow Warriors at Vicarage Road this afternoon(Sunday).

Games between these two attritional sides are always a close run affair, and this one was no different, although Saracens could have made the score-line much more convincing had they matched their fine first half display in the second 40.

The Men in Black took a deserved 25-11 lead into the break after producing arguably their best first half performance of the season. Wave after wave of precise, intricate passing was a joy to behold and it led to superb converted tries for Rodd Penney and Hugh Vyvyyan.

Glen Jackson extended Sarries' lead further to 17-3 before Warriors flanker John Barclay kept the visitors in touch with a try after taking advantage of some sloppy defending.

Dan Parks notched his second penalty of the game before Jackson matched him, and Sarries landed a crucial blow on the stroke of half time when number eight Ben Skirving barged over from the back of a powerful scrum.

Fijian flyer Kameli Ratuvou secured the bonus point with his third try in two games before Warriors replacement Hefin O'Hare kept the visitors in with a shout with a 75th minute converted score after Kevin Yates was caught napping.

Jackson nailed his all-important third penalty before Alistair Kellock's converted try secured a deserved losing bonus point for the battling Scottish side.

After Dan Parks had given the visitors a fifth minute lead with a penalty, Saracens clicked into gear and struck back two minutes later.

On the Glasgow 10 metre line, skipper Neil de Kock passed to Rodd Penney and the in-form wing burst through a sea of blue before weighing up his options. He chose to go right to Matt Cairns and the hooker immediately nipped the ball back for the revitalized Hugh Vyvyan to crash over.

Ben Skirving and Kelly Brown then went at it hammer and tongs off the ball as Sarries foraged after securing line out ball from five metres, only to scupper the chance for holding on.

Bu their enterprising rugby was rewarded with a superb runaround try after 20 minutes. After signaling their intent with two powerful drives, Jackson took de Kock's pass before shunting it out to Andy Farrell. The England man recycled it back to the Kiwi who got the faintest of touches to flight the ball into the path of Penney for the easiest of strolls across the whitewash.

Jackson made it 17-3 with an easy penalty after the visitors cynically held on in an attempt to slow down play. And it was the Magners League side who hit back on half hour. Full-back Bernardo Stortoni rode several half-hearted challenges through the middle before bringing Andrew Henderson into the attack. After gaining several metres, he off-loaded to Barclay who crossed over on the left. Dan Parks fluffed his lines with the conversion but made amends minutes later with a successful three-pointer, although that was cancelled out immediately by one of Jackson's after Warriors replacement Hefin O'Hare grabbed Penney around he neck.

Kevin Yates was then held up on the line on the stroke of half time after yet more slick handling from the Men in Black backs, but it was all academic as, from the put in, de Kock marshalled the scrum as it trundled towards the whitewash and Ben Skirving was on hand to crash onto the ball.

Parks nailed his third penalty of the afternoon soon into the restart before his side survived a let off when Kevin Sorrell's pass was intercepted just metres short of the line. However, there is a positive air of inevitability at Saracens these days and it was no surprise they secured a bonus point win for the third game running when Ratuvou took Farrell's pass in his stride after the overlap was created.

The impressive former Warrior Francisco Leonelli made way for Edd Thrower after 64 minutes in order to gain a breather for next weekend's test in Biarritz, as did Richard Hill and Kris Chesney soon after with David Seymour and Tom Ryder bringing some fresh legs to the pack.

O'Hare set up a nervy final five minutes for the hosts after crossing unopposed, with Parks' conversion reducing the gap to 30-24. But the hosts ran down the clock with a mix of driving mauls and pick and go's before Jackson notched his third penalty.

However, the visitors were still no done and snatched a losing bonus point with the last action of the game when Kellock crossed.

Saracens: Leonelli (Thrower, 64), Penney, Sorrell, Farrell, Ratuvou, Jackson (Ross, 80), de Kock (Rauluni, 80); Yates, Cairns, Johnston (Mercey, 80), Vyvyan, Chesney (Ryder, 71), Gustard, Hill (Seymour, 69), Skirving.

Attendance: 7,012.

Referee: Romain Poite.

Scoring sequence: 0-3/5-3/7-3/12-3/14-3/17-3/17-8/17-11/20-11/25-11 HT/25-14/30-14/30-17/30-22/30-24/33-24/33-29/33-31.