Bath clean up Sarries

The home side, who controlled much of the first half, entered the break with just a three-point advantage, as Sean Maitland struck back for Saracens after Max Clark's try and two Tom Homer penalties. In a mark of champions, however, Saracens refused to buckle and Alex Lozowski's drop goal got them back on level terms early in the second half.

Ultimately the superb Homer's third penalty of the day settled the game as Bath's defence handled everything a Saracens side, including a fit-again Maro Itoje, could throw at them. But the Rec crowd had their hearts in their mouths at the death before watching Lozowski's final penalty attempt fail to reach the posts.

Elsewhere, Gloucester racked up four second half tries to come from behind and beat local rivals Bristol at Kingsholm. The visitors looked on track for their first win of the season after a promising first half performance and two Jason Woodward penalties saw them hold a six-point advantage over an out-of-sorts Gloucester.

But the Cherry and Whites came out invigorated after the restart with tries from Matt Scott, Will Heinz and Henry Purdy, plus a penalty try, putting them in the driving seat for the win despite late efforts for Jack Wallace and Luke Arscott for the spirited visitors in the closing minutes.

Meanwhile, heroic defensive efforts from both sides meant the boot was king in the second half at Welford Road and a last-gasp Owen Williams penalty denied Northampton Saints a losing bonus point against Leicester Tigers.

The kick ensured Tigers move onto seven wins from their 10 games, while Saints sank to their fourth successive East Midlands derby defeat in a row and remain on four wins for the campaign.

Adam Thompstone and Mike Haywood exchanged first half tries, with the boot of Freddie Burns handing his side a narrow half-time lead. And with neither side able to cross the whitewash in the second period, two more Tigers penalties were enough to secure the win.

All Saturday's scores and scorers!

Bath 14-11 Saracens

Bath started the brightest and Homer slotted an early penalty after a rampaging run from Taulupe Faletau deep into Saracens territory. The Wales No.8 continued to look like Bath's biggest threat but Saracens' line, bending rather than breaking, stopped the hosts from pressing home their advantage.

Indeed the reigning champions had done well to hang on until Lozowski levelled up the scores from the tee after Bath were pinged at the line-out. Bath re-established their lead through Homer's boot at the end of the first quarter and then grabbed the try that their efforts had deserved.

Australia centre Ben Tapuai opened up the space with a superb dummy for his fellow midfield man Clark to score his first-ever Premiership. Homer's missed conversion left the score at 11-3, though Bath continued to look the most likely to score as Aled Brew looked clear before being called back for a knock-on and Schalk Burger then won a key penalty for an under-pressure Saracens.

Tom Ellis then got his body in the way to prevent a certain Saracens try but the visitors struck back before the first half was out through Maitland squeezing home in the corner. Lozowski missed the conversion but made amends early in the second half with a sumptuous drop goal to level it up at 11-11.

A trademark Semesa Rokoduguni break returned Bath to the ascendancy and though they were stopped a whisker from the try-line, Lozowski was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Dan Bowden in the build-up.

Homer smashed through the resultant penalty but a tenacious Saracens came back again, Alex Goode missing a shot at goal before Jim Hamilton and then Vincent Koch were held up just short of the try-line.

Much of the last 10 minutes was played in Bath's territory, though fullback Homer released the pressure with a break. There was time for Lozowski to have another pot at goal in the dying seconds but to the relief of the Rec, his penalty fell short.

Scorers:

For Bath:

Try: Clark

Pens: Homer 3

For Saracens:

Try: Maitland

Pen: Lozowski

DG: Lozowski

Yellow card: Alex Lozowski (Saracens, 49)

Teams:

Bath: 15 Tom Homer, 14 Semesa Rokoduguni, 13 Max Clark, 12 Ben Tapuai, 11 Aled Brew, 10 Dan Bowden, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 Taulupe Faletau, 7 Tom Ellis, 6 Matt Garvey (c), 5 Dave Attwood, 4 Luke Charteris, 3 Max Lahiff, 2 Tom Dunn, 1 Nathan Catt.

Replacements: 16 Ross Batty, 17 Beno Obano, 18 Kane Palma-Newport, 19 Paul Grant, 20 Zach Mercer, 21 Darren Allinson, 22 Adam Hastings, 23 Jack Wilson.

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Sean Maitland, 13 Nick Tompkins, 12 Brad Barritt (c), 11 Chris Wyles, 10 Alex Lozowski, 9 Ben Spencer, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Mike Rhodes, 5 Jim Hamilton, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Juan Figallo, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Titi Lamositele.

Replacements: 16 Jared Saunders, 17 Richard Barrington, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Mark Flanagan, 20 Kelly Brown, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Marcelo Bosch, 23 Nathan Earle.

Referee: Greg Garner

Gloucester 26-18 Bristol

Hosts Gloucester who looked to start strongly, with Mark Atkinson finding himself some space before failing to find a teammate while Ben Morgan enjoyed some early successful carries. But it was Bristol who got the first points on the scoreboard on eight minutes when Gloucester were pinged for not rolling away at the ruck and Woodward dissected the posts.

The visitors had their tails up and, after enjoying sustained possession, opted to kick for the corner after being awarded a penalty. But despite peppering their opponents' line, they had to make do with just a second Woodward penalty on 17 minutes after Jacob Rowan was caught offside right in front of the posts.

Both teams were guilty of letting errors creep into their game and when play was bought back for an earlier infringement, James Hook had the chance to reduce the deficit with a penalty just outside the Bristol 22 but he shanked it wide.

To compound his misery, he then spilled a relatively simple pass out wide right but fortunately for the Gloucester man, Bristol were unable to capitalise. The hosts tried to rally again before half-time, winning a penalty and opting to kick for the corner but the impressive Bristol defence held firm before clearing the danger as the half-time whistle blew.

Whatever was said by David Humphreys at half-time, however, seemed to work as Gloucester came out firing in the second half, scoring a try within two minutes of the restart. It came from a stolen lineout close to Bristol's own line with the ball eventually recycled out to half-time replacement Billy Twelvetrees, who slipped in Scott to dart is way over the line. Hook converted and the hosts were 7-6 ahead.

One try soon became two as Gloucester went through the gears and after winning a scrum in front of the posts, Heinz capitalised on a crumbling Bristol defence to dive over, with Hook's conversion making it 14-6.

All the pressure was now coming from the hosts and Gloucester's power and strength told on 57 minutes when they were awarded a penalty try after Jamal Ford-Robinson was adjudged to have illegally dragged down the maul. The Bristol prop was also handed a yellow card for his troubles with Hook adding the extras for 21-6.

The visitors were stunned but looked to have got a try themselves shortly after the hour mark when Billy Searle finished off a Jon Fisher break but the TMO ruled the Gloucester defence had been unfairly blocked and it was wiped out.

And their misery was compounded on 68 minutes when Purdy skipped through the challenges before reaching for the line and bringing up Gloucester's bonus-point fourth try.

Bristol continued to fight until the final whistle and Arscott sent a cross field kick over for Wallace to gather for Bristol's first try of the match on 79 minutes. The clock was almost up but there was still time for the restart with Bristol's late flurry continuing with a play out wide seeing Arscott dot down, with Woodward's conversion taking the final score to 26-18.

Scorers:

For Gloucester:

Tries: Scott, Heinz, Penalty try, Purdy

Cons: Hook 3

For Bristol:

Tries: Wallace, Arscott

Con: Woodward

Pens: Woodward 2

Yellow card: Jamal Ford-Robinson (Bristol, 56)

Teams:

Gloucester: 15 James Hook, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Matt Scott, 12 Mark Atkinson, 11 Henry Purdy, 10 Billy Burns, 9 Willi Heinz (captain), 8 Ben Morgan, 7 Jacob Rowan, 6 Lewis Ludlow, 5 Mariano Galarza, 4 Tom Savage, 3 John Afoa, 2 Richard Hibbard, 1 Paddy McAllister.

Replacements: 16 Tom Lindsay, 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Paul Doran-Jones, 19 Joe Latta, 20 Ross Moriarty, 21 Greig Laidlaw, 22 Billy Twelvetrees, 23 Ollie Thorley.

Bristol: 15 Jason Woodward, 14 Ryan Edwards, 13 Jack Tovey, 12 Will Hurrell, 11 Jack Wallace, 10 Adrian Jarvis, 9 Rhodri Williams, 8 Jordan Crane (captain), 7 Olly Robinson, 6 Mitch Eadie, 5 Mark Sorenson, 4 Jon Fisher, 3 Gaston Cortes, 2 Rob Hawkins, 1 Kyle Traynor.

Replacements: 16 Marc Jones, 17 Ryan Bevington, 18 Jamal Ford-Robinson, 19 James Phillips, 20 Nick Fenton-Wells, 21 Will Cliff, 22 Billy Searle, 23 Luke Arscott.

Referee: Matthew Carley

Leicester Tigers 19-11 Northampton Saints

Saints put themselves under early pressure when Luther Burrell was sent to the bin for a dangerous tackled in the second minute. And Burns gave his side an early advantage with an eighth-minute penalty after Saints infringed at the lineout.

A three-point advantage soon became 10 as Burns fed Thompstone for his fifth try of the season in the 14th minute before adding the conversion. Burrell was then re-introduced and it was Tigers' turn to go down to 14, with try-scorer Thompstone being sent to the bin for playing George North in the air.

And Saints took full advantage, Haywood stretching out an arm from the bottom of a rolling maul that went to ground a yard short of the line in the 17th minute. Stephen Myler was wayward with the conversion, though.

But the flyhalf made amends less than 10minutes later, reducing the deficit to two points with a 47-metre penalty. Burns returned the favour though, on the half hour mark, when Saints were penalised for a high tackle on Williams.

But Myler had the final say in the first half, kicking a second penalty after Alex Waller's fine scrummaging forced Tigers to handle and suffer the consequences. The sides going into the break split by just two points in a thrilling East Midlands derby.

The early stages of the second half were characterised by a succession of turnovers, with Harry Thacker in particular catching the eye. With 30 minutes to play, Manu Tuilagi made his latest comeback from injury as he replaced Peter Betham, as Tigers' Richard Cockerill looked for some extra impact from the bench.

The home side dominated the following 10 minutes, running through the phases and inching ever closer to the Saints try-line as they looked to get Tuilagi into the game but the visitors were eventually able to clear after the ball squirted free, resulting in a Northampton scrum.

Superb tactical kicking from Burns set up another period of Tigers possession on the Saints try-line but the visiting defence continued to stand firm. Until, that is, Saints were penalised for infringing at a scrum and the Leicester flyhalf kicked the first points of the second half with just 10 minutes remaining.

The pattern of the second half was reversed for its final 10 minutes, with Saints growing into the game and sniping away at the Tigers try-line. But an Ed Slater's orchestrated defence kept them at bay and when the Tigers captained turned the ball over, the game was one.

The only action left was for Williams, with the clock in the red, to kick a penalty and ensure Saints missed out on the losing bonus point.

Scorers:

For Leicester Tigers:

Try: Thompstone

Con: Burns

Pens: Burns 3, Williams

For Northampton Saints:

Try: Haywood

Pen: Myler 2

Yellow cards: Luther Burrell (Northampton Saints, 2); Adam Thompstone (Leicester Tigers, 16)

Teams:

Leicester Tigers: 15 George Worth, 14 Adam Thompstone, 13 Peter Betham, 12 Owen Williams, 11 Tom Brady, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Jono Kitto, 8 Luke Hamilton, 7 Brendon O'Connor, 6 Mike Fitzgerald, 5 Graham Kitchener, 4 Ed Slater, 3 Greg Bateman, 2 Tom Youngs (captain), 1 Logovi'i Mulipola.

Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Pat Cilliers, 19 Lachlan McCaffrey, 20 Will Evans, 21 Sam Harrison, 22 Manu Tuilagi, 23 JP Pietersen.

Northampton Saints: 15 Ben Foden (captain), 14 Jamie Elliott, 13 Luther Burrell, 12 JJ Hanrahan, 11 George North, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Tom Kessell, 8 Louis Picamoles, 7 Ben Nutley, 6 Jamie Gibson, 5 James Craig, 4 Michael Paterson, 3 Paul Hill, 2 Mikey Haywood, 1 Alex Waller.

Replacements: 16 Charlie Clare, 17 Ethan Waller, 18 Gareth Denman, 19 Api Ratuniyarawa, 20 Lewis Ludlam, 21 Nic Groom, 22 George Pisi, 23 Ken Pisi.

Referee: JP Doyle

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