Premiership leaders Gloucester extinguished Saracens' flickering title hopes with an uncompromising 39-15 victory at Kingsholm this afternoon.

The Men in Black's designs on the trophy they want the most has long been hampered by nagging inconsistency, and it was evident in spades again as they followed up last weekend's stunning Heineken Cup victory over Ospreys with a performance that bordered on criminal.

It was only when the Cherry and Whites had run in six tries that Sarries finally came to life, late scores for Adam Powell and Ben Skirving adding to Glen Jackson's first half penalty.

Sarries were hopelessly outfought in all areas of the pitch and their dogged work at the breakdown which frustrated Ospreys was nowhere to be seen.

James Simpson-Daniel and Akapusi Qera crossed in the first half before Gloucester's immensely talented Ryan Lamb struck twice inside six second half minutes to sew the contest up.

Further scores for Lesley Vainoko and Rory Lawson added to Sarries' misery, before that late mini rally at least saved some face.

After a scrappy opening Gloucester were awarded the first penalty of the game in the fifth minute. However, Lamb opted to kick for the corner but contrived to miss touch.

Saracens made a glaring error of their own minutes later when, after creating an overlap down the left channel at the hosts' 22 metre line, Dan Scarbrough's mistimed pass out wide bounced too far for Kameli Ratuvou when the easier option of a short pass to Haughton would have led to a certain try.

Let off the hook, the Cherry and Whites made the breakthrough in the 12th minute after benefiting from a Ben Skirving error. The number eight peeled off the back of a ruck but his hurried pass to Neil de Kock while on the deck lack direction and pace. The hosts intercepted, recycled the ball quickly across the field and Simpson-Daniel crossed unopposed on the left. Lamb added the extras before Jackson failed with an audacious penalty from just inside his own half.

It took Gloucester barely five minutes to cross again, Fijian flanker Qera putting the finishing touch to some powerful running from midfield.

Saracens regrouped but lacked fluency going forward, not helped by their penchant for slow ball attacks which gave the home defence plenty of time to home in with some ferocious tackles.

Jackson got Sarries on the board on the half hour after the hosts were penalised following a clever half break by Hugh Vyvyan. They should have reduced the gap further moments later when a neat wrap around between the Kiwi fly half and Adam Powell put Ratuvou haring through space, but the Fijian was stopped two metres short of the line to render support runners Scarbrough and Haughton useless.

Lamb then slotted over a penalty in first half stoppage time to give the Men in Black plenty to think about at the break.

The classy centre then converted his own try just minutes into the second half after waltzing through several tackles in midfield and leaving Haughton flat-footed.

Lamb then ensured the try bonus point three minutes later after intercepting at the tail of a Sarries line out before sprinting under the posts from his own 22.

David Seymour and Cencus Johnston were thrown on to shore up the visitors' pack and the latter went desperately close to crossing only for a trio of Gloucester players to railroad him into touch.

Stylish play by Simpson-Daniel and Willie Walker put Vainikolo on the charge for the hosts' fifth try of the game, and they should have added a sixth minutes later only for Iain Balshaw to make a complete hash of a pass in-field from Lamb's delicate cross-field chip, usurping a sure-fire score for the waiting Marco Bortolami.

Sarries lock Tom Ryder was sent to the sin bin for trampling through a ruck to grapple with an opponent before the hosts' sixth try arrived in the 67th minute courtesy of Rory Lawson's scampering run to the left corner.

Sarries were hemmed into their owen territory for much of the second period but did manage to get into double figures when a fine break by Seymour saw replacment kicker Gordon Ross put in Adam Powell under the posts before converting.

Skirving scored a late second try for Sarries but Gloucester were long home and dry.

Saracens: Haughton, Scarbrough, Sorrell, Powell, Ratuvou, Jackson, de Kock (cpt); Aguero, Cairns, Visagie, Vyvyan, Ryder, Chesney, Barrell, Skirving.

Replacements: Johnston for Visagie, 49; Seymour for Barrell, 53; Rauluni for de Kock, 59; Ross for Jackson, 68; Visagie for Aguero, Fullarton for Vyvyan, 72; Penney for Haughton, 74.

Attendance: 12,300.

Referee: Rob Debney.

Scoring sequence: 5-0/7-0/12-0/12-3/15-3 HT/20-3/22-3/27-3/29-3/34-3/39-3/39-8/39-10/39-15.