SARACENS ended Harlequins' nine month unbeaten home record in the Guinness Premiership with a gutsy 20-27 win at The Stoop this afternoon (Saturday).

Neil de Kock, Brent Russell and Rodd Penney crossed the line for the Men in Black while Glen Jackson converted all three and kicked two penalties as Quins were beaten on home soil in the league since Wasps triumphed on March 10.

Alan Gaffney's side, victorious here exactly a year ago, carved out a 3-10 interval lead thanks to skipper de Kock's first try since the opening day victory against Wasps and a Jackson penalty.

Jarvis and Jackson traded early second half penalties before Russell went over for his first senior Sarries try.

Quins hit back with a score from replacement Tani Fuga but Sarries maintained a good lead when Rodd Penney, on for the injured Richard Haughton, darted over.

Ugo Monye's 73rd minute converted try set up a tense ending but Sarries held on.

De Kock warned that Quins, without a win in their last seven games, would be a dangerous animal and they certainly bared their teeth in the opening exchanges.

Their pressure was rewarded with a sixth minute penalty after Glen Jackson had held on, but fly-half Adrian Jarvis pulled his strike wide of the mark.

Nevertheless, Quins offered more adventure going forward and opening the scoring with an easy Jarvis three pointer after Sarries were caught offside.

Both sides went through the motions in the middle of the park with nothing to show for their attritional approach, but Sarries were handed an opportunity to level up the scores after 26 minutes when second row Ollie Kohn infringed at a ruck. However, Jackson, who pocketed 19 points against Viadana last weekend, could only find the left upright from 30 metres.

The Kiwi kicker was handed another opportunity minutes later and he made no mistake to finally give the sizeable away following something to cheer after a cat and mouse half hour.

They were soon on their feet again when the visitors fashioned the first try of the game seven minutes before the break.

Quick feet and good vision from Cencus Johnston put in Ratuvou down the left and, spotting acres of space ahead of him in the centre, the Fijian flyer booted an angled kick towards the posts and de Kock won the foot race ahead of Quins wing Ugo Monye. Jackson converted to make it 3-10 but, rather than be unsettled by the set-back, Quins rallied.

After Jackson had missed a tackle on his own 22, South African centre De Wet Barry hared towards the whitewash only to be denied by de Kock's brilliant tackle, the Sarries skipper forcing his countryman to knock-on.

While de Kock headed off for treatment to a blood injury as a result of his try-saving effort, Sarries were busy earning another penalty but Jackson failed to extend his side's lead further.

Jarvis reduced the deficit to four points with his second penalty two minutes into the restart, and Quins could have reined Sarries in further had Jordan Turner-Hall's pass found Monye with a clear path ahead of him.

The visitors finally started to utilise the flanks, which have been so productive this season with both Haughton and Ratuvou tearing up the turf only for referee Tony Spreadbury to bring back play after spotting another Quins infringment. Jackson goalled successfully.

It got better for the Men in Black on 54 minutes. De Kock's raking pass put Sorrell through ahd his off-load allowed Russell to put his foot on the gas for an easy rout under the sticks.

Jackson converted but Sarries immediately handed Quins an early Christmas present when Will Skinner intercepted a slack pass before racing towards the Sarries try line where he was denied just inches short by Russell. However, it was only delaying the inevitable as Quins replacement Fuga piroetted his way across the whitewash. Jarvis converted but just when Quins had dragged themselves back into it Sarries landed another hammer blow.

Replacement Rodd Penney rode two tackles on the Quins 22 before goose-stepping his way over to the right of the posts. Jackson added the extras to make it 13-27.

Quins pressed and set up a tense final six minutes when Monye went over on the left after Sarries had stepped off Mike Brown.

Jarvis's conversion reduced the gap to seven points but Sarries dug deep to take their tally to 18 points from five away league trips.

Saracens: Russell, Haughton, Sorrell, Farrell, Ratuvou, Jackson, de Kock (cpt); Lloyd, Ongaro, Johnston, Vyvyan, Jack, Chesney, Hill, Skirving.

Replacements: Rauluni for de Kock, blood, 36; De Kock for Rauluni, 40; Penney for Haughton, 55; Ryder for Chesney, Seymour for Hill, 58; Kyriacou for Skirving, 78.

Referee: Tony Spreadbury Attendance: 11,672.

Scoring sequence: 3-0/3-3/3-8/3-10 HT/6-10/6-13/6-18/6-20/11-20/13-20/13-25/13-27/18-27/20-27