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Last Updated: Sunday, 12 February 2006, 17:39 GMT

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Saracens 29-34 Bath

MATCH SUMMARY

Bath's Chris Malone (left) and Shane Byrne, of Saracens

Saracens (3) 29
Tries: Penalty (2), Armitage (2)
Cons: Jackson (3)
Pen: Jackson

Bath (31) 34
Tries: Welsh, Hudgson, Bory, Crockett
Cons: Malone (4)
Pens: Malone (2)

Bath survived a stunning second-half fightback to just hold off Saracens on their trip to Vicarage Road.

The visitors romped to a 31-3 half-time lead following a quartet of tries by Frikkie Welsh, James Hudson, David Bory and Alex Crockett.

Sarries were a completely different outfit in the second half and came within a whisker of victory.

But two penalty tries and two efforts from Steffon Armitage in the end proved insufficient for the hosts.

Saracens head coach Mike Ford:
"The events that have happened (director of rugby Steve Diamond parting company with the club) have seen the players stand up and say ultimately it was about their performances.

"They said to a man, led by Hugh Vyvyan, that they will double their efforts from now on.

"Fair play to the players, they knew they were in a hole and credit to them, they showed great character to come back."

Bath coach Brian Ashton:
"When you are two men down and with two sin-binnings, it his hard to play. When we went two men down, they just played to their strengths.

"But I'm delighted with four tries and the way we played in the first-half. We played with a lot of ambition and intelligence and I would have taken the win with a bonus point if anyone had asked me this morning.

"It was great to get a bonus point but I just really enjoyed the performance in the first-half.

"We sort of set a benchmark against Wasps and I said to the squad to play like that away from home and they rose to the challenge."

Saracens: Bartholomeusz; Scarbrough, Johnston, Sorrell, Vaikona; Jackson, Rauluni; Yates, Byrne, Broster; Raiwalui, Vyvyan; B Russell, Armitage, Skirving.
Replacements: Harris for Sorrell (40), Powell for Vaikona (56), Bracken for Rauluni (46), Cairns for Byrne (40), Visagie for Broster (40), Chesney for Vyvyan (32).
Not Used: Ryder.

Bath: Stephenson; Walshe, Crockett, Fuimaono-Sapolu, Bory; Malone, Welsh; Flatman, Dixon, Bell; Hudson, Short; Beattie, Lipman, Fea'unati.
Replacements: Fidler for Hudson (72), Filise for Lipman (58).
Not Used: Hawkins, Scaysbrook, Fulton, Dunne, Maddock.

Sin Bin: Flatman (58), Fea'unati (60).

Att: 6,731

Ref: Ashley Rowden (RFU).

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