Sarries too strong for Warriors

5:13pm Sunday 10th February 2008

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SARACENS secured an ultimately comfortable 19-6 victory over Worcester at Vicarage Road this afternoon to consolidate their position in the Guinness Premiership top four.

The Men in Black struggled to find their form in the first half but their strength in depth came to the fore after the break and Fabio Ongaro's try put them on their way to the win.

Sarries made several changes to the starting lineup with New Zealand lock Chris Jack and Cobus Visagie back in the team and Richard Hill returning to skipper the side. Andy Farrell was missing with a rib injury while Cencus Johnston earned a well deserved rest. Captain Neil De Kock remains sidelined with a hamstring injury and Kevin Sorrell was again out with a ankle problem.

The Warriors came into the game with renewed confidence following their first Premiership win of the season a fortnight ago against Bristol. It was a brief reminder of the form they showed in overturning Sarries at Vicarage Road last season.

The visitors took an early lead within the first two minutes when Loki Crichton kicked a drop goal. But Glen Jackson spurned an opportunity to bring the score level when he missed a penalty five minutes later. He made no mistake after ten minutes from further out to make it 3-3.

Sarries began to exert intense pressure with a series of scrums by the Worcester tryline but they failed to take advantage of the territory and the attack broke down. Jackson missed another penalty in a surprisingly inconsistent start by the fly-half.

Rod Penney was sent to the sin bin after 26 minutes for stopping Rico Gear after he went on a rampaging run into the Sarries' half. But Worcester wasted the chance to regain the lead from the resultant penalty.

The hosts finally went in front for the first time in the match after the half hour mark when Jackson confidently converted a penalty from the right-hand side of the pitch. But the fly-half squandered another penalty opportunity to extend the lead in the last minute of the half. It ended a scrappy first period with Sarries marginally the better side with a 6-3 lead.

Worcester captain Pat Sanderson was given a yellow card eight minutes into the second half for stopping a Sarries attack and Jackson scored another penalty to edge the home side into a 9-3 lead. The Warriors responded in kind with Crichton closing the gap to just three points.

But Sarries grabbed the deserved breakthrough after 53 minutes when Adam Powell set up Ongaro for the opening try of the match and the Italian hooker's first of the season. Jackson converted to give them a ten point cushion.

Coach Alan Gaffney immediately made his first substitution of the game bringing on Paul Gustard in place of Ben Skirving. Brent Russell also had an early bath coming off for Edd Thrower.

Jackson converted another penalty to increase their advantage to 19-6 and Kris Chesney was given a well deserved standing ovation for a dominant performance after being replaced by Tom Ryder.

Worcester showed why they have once again been brought into a relegation struggle and they rarely threatened to open up the home defence as Sarries eased to their fourth win in a row.