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The Prem
Bristol (21) 26
Tries: Harding, Thacker, Moroni, Ravouvou Cons: Jordan 3
Saracens (34) 41
Tries: Willis, Tizard, Segun, Earl, Burke, Elliott Cons: Burke 3, Farrell Pens: Burke
Saracens scored six tries as they recorded a 10th straight win over injury-hit Bristol Bears to boost their hopes of a top-four place in the Prem.
They took full advantage of some hapless defending by Bristol at Ashton Gate to run in four tries in a 13-minute spell in the first half through Tom Willis, Hugh Tizard, Rotimi Segun and Ben Earl.
Fergus Burke added the fifth, while Fitz Harding, Harry Thacker, Matias Moroni and Kalaveti Ravouvou scored for the Bears before Tobias Elliott crossed a minute from the end for Sarries.
The sixth-placed visitors have now moved to within two points of Exeter and Bristol, with their bonus point moving the Bears up to fourth.
Bristol signed Fred Davies from Doncaster Knights as emergency cover to boost their beleagured squad but they drew first blood when captain Harding burst over from a line-out on the right to cross over near the posts.
Saracens responded with a Burke penalty before Willis touched down from a rolling maul following a line-out to give them an 8-7 lead.
Tizard extended Saracens’ advantage on 20 minutes when he pirouetted over for a try before Thacker popped out at the back of a maul to run round and make it 15-12.
Bristol then went to sleep, racking up 15 missed tackles, as Burke made the break far too easily before feeding Segun to score a simple try.
Three minutes later Earl went over for Sarries’ fourth and bonus-point try and they were threatening to win by a wide margin.
But then it was their turn to switch off and Argentinian Moroni took advantage to touch down and make it 29-19.
Back came Saracens and the visitors scored their fifth try of the match three minutes before half-time when prop Jamie George produced an outrageous pass for Burke to score.
The second half was subdued compared to the try-fest in the first and Bristol sensed an opportunity when Theo McFarland was sin-binned for pulling a maul down near the line.
Joe Batley was fortunate not to be red-carded for a head-on-head clash with Maro Itoje and Bristol took full advantage when Kalaveti Ravouvou went over on the left to cut the deficit to 34-26 with just seven minutes remaining.
Itoje was shown a yellow card and Ravouvou had a second try chalked off for a knock-on during a nervy finale.
But then Ravouvou was sin-binned and Saracens’ Elliott intercepted the ball as Bristol tried to run out from inside their own 22 to seal a win which keeps them firmly in the hunt for a play-off place.
‘There were moments where we switched off and got punished’ – Bristol reaction
Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam told BBC Radio Bristol:
“There was a lot of good in what we did. However, an area where we’re really strong is our line-out and they just came through that area.
“When we kicked off, we had guys in the wrong place again and they came right through us, opened up holes and that was what basically turned the game because they got that lead.
“Then second half, we defended better and didn’t concede until that last try at the end. I thought we scored a great try and I thought we were unlucky that the ball went sideways and the TMO overruled it, it would have been a great finish.
“I have a lot of pride in the boys and against Sarries, it’s about little moments and unfortunately there were moments where we switched off and got punished.”
‘I’m proud of how we looked’ – Saracens reaction
Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall:
“In the first half we were great with the ball in attack and very confrontational, but we handed them a couple of gifts and so it was frustrating that the half-time score wasn’t as wide as it should have been.
“After the interval I’m proud of how we looked like a team that it mattered to as we showed huge grit in defence to tough it out, especially when we were down to 14 for a decent period of time.
“It was a nerve-wracking ending, but fortunately they missed a crucial conversion at a vital stage, which calmed me down as we’ve lost three games at home this season in the last five minutes.”
Bristol: Heward; Ravouvou, Moroni, Janse van Rensburg, Ibitoye; Jordan, Marmion; Genge, Thacker, Kloska, Dun, Batley, Owen, Harding (capt), Grondona.
(29 apps).
Replacements: Gwilliam, Woolmore, Lahiff, Taylor, Cripps, Randall, Williams, Bates.
Saracens: Malins; Caluori, Tompkins, Hartley, Segun; Burke, Bracken; Mawi, George, Street, Itoje (capt), Tizard, Isiekwe, Earl, Willis.
Replacements: Dan, Carre, Clarey, McFarland, Michelow, van Zyl, Farrell, Elliott.
Referee: Christophe Ridley
