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Last Updated: Sunday, 16 October 2005, 15:56 GMT 16:56 UK

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Bristol 11-23 Saracens

MATCH SUMMARY

Bristol try and stop the run of Saracens centre Dan Harris

Bristol 11 (8)
Tries: Cox
Pens: Strange 2

Saracens 23 (10)
Tries: Johnston, Skirving
Cons: Jackson 2
Pens: Jackson 2
Drop: Jackson

Bristol slumped to their third straight league defeat as Saracens secured victory at the Memorial Stadium.

It was the home side who took the lead when centre Sam Cox powered over after just four minutes.

Sarries wing Ben Johnstone ran in from 30 metres soon before fly-half Glen Jackson kicked over on 36 minutes to make the score 8-10 at the break.

The sides traded penalties before Ben Skirving touched down for Saracens while Jackson added a late drop goal.

Saracens head coach Steve Diamond:
"I was satisfied with the four points but obviously for us to be competing at the top we are going to need to play some rugby.

"I am satisfied with the squad's development that we are able to score a lot of tries in the first four or five games but that didn't win matches and then change straight back to how we played last season.

"Fair play to Bristol they are going to be difficult to beat here for some sides who are in the middle of the table.

"I'm glad I don't have to come back here for 12 months. The pragmatic side of it is that it was a boring game to watch but there is so much pressure on to win games."

Bristol head coach Richard Hill:
"I feel that we are marginally ahead of our target for this point in the season partially by virtue of Leeds going through a poor spell.

"We needed Saracens to be a little off their game and for us to be at our best to win these early matches when clubs are at full strength.

"When it comes to the pre-Christmas internationals and then the Six Nations sides will be without some of their key players and that should help us.

"Saracens were very good at their set pieces and made very few errors on the ball and it was always going to be tough to be sides like that."

Bristol: Stortoni; Robinson, Higgitt, Cox, Going; Strange, Perry; Hilton, Nelson, Crompton; Winters, Llewellyn; Salter (capt), El Abd, Lewis.
Replacements: Contepomi for Going (40), Rauluni for Perry (40), N Clarke for Nelson (70), Ward-Smith for Lewis (70). Not Used: Irish, Sambucetti, Gray.

Saracens: Castaignede; Johnston, Sorrell, Harris, Bailey; Jackson, Bracken; Yates, Cairns, Visagie; Raiwalui, Fullarton; Vyvyan (capt), Sanderson, Skirving.
Replacements: B Russell for Harris (69), Dickens for Bracken (61), Lloyd for Yates (60), Byrne for Cairns (60), Chesney for Raiwalui (55), Randell for Sanderson (55), Seymour for Skirving (82).

Att: 7,068

Ref: Rob Debney (Leicestershire).

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