Saracens

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80 min(s) played: 22-23

Full time whistle blows. Sarries lose but losing bonus sees the home side through to the semi-finals

78 min(s) played: 22-23

Two drop goal attempts from Wyles go wide of the posts in successive minutes

75 min(s) played: 22-23

Another Hougaard attempt from halfway drops just short

70 min(s) played: 22-23

Hougaard's long penalty from inside his own half drifts wide

60 min(s) played: 22-23

Tovey sits in the pocket and drops a goal to give the visitors the lead once again

57 min(s) played: 22-20

Try for Saracens. Chris Wyles chases down a long up and under and charges down Tovey's clearance kick. He gets a kind bounce of the ball and races home. Hougaard converts

52 min(s) played: 15-20

Hougaard marks his arrival with a drop goal from 35m

50 min(s) played: 12-20

Ryder, Hougaard and de Kock replace Botha, Jackson and Marshall

49 min(s) played: 12-20

Try for Dragons. Sarries lose possession on halfway and Harries touches down after a chip ahead. Tovey converts

41 min(s) played: 12-13

Secdond half underway

40 min(s) played: 12-13

Half Time whistle blows

39 min(s) played: 12-13

Tovey has a long range attempt on the stroke of half time which he takes

27 min(s) played: 12-10

Another attack from Saracens, and another penalty conceded by the visitors. Jackson's kick regains the lead

25 min(s) played: 9-10

Tovey strikes a long range effort from just inside the Sarries half

20 min(s) played: 9-7

Sarries mount a strong attack and the visitors are caught offside. Jackson kicks the three

17 min(s) played: 6-7

Sarries lose the ball on halfway and Will Harries jinks his way along the touchline before stepping inside the last man to score. Converted by Jason Tovey

10 min(s) played: 6-0

Jackson extends the lead with another three points

7 min(s) played: 3-0

The Dragons are penalised for not rolling away at the tackle and Jackson gives his side the lead

1 min(s) played: 0-0

Glen Jackson gets the game underway

0 min(s) played: 0-0

Five minutes to kick off at Vicarage Road

Sarries book semi-final spot

Saracens booked a place in the LV=Cup semi-finals despite losing by a single point against the Dragons at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

The home side were beaten 23-22 by the Welsh outfit but the losing bonus point gives Sarries a place in the last four and a visit to Franklins Gardens to face Northampton Saints on Sunday 14 March.

Sarries had moved into a 6—0 lead early in the game but a brace of tries from wing Will Harries set up the victory for the visitors despite Chris Wyles’ second half try which pulled the home side back into the game.

Replacement Derick Hougaard and Wyles both saw opportunities to win the game via penalties and drop goals as the close wore down, but both were off target which denied the home side the win, but the result was enough to see them through.

It was Saracens who took an early lead in the match with the home side penalised for not rolling away and Glen Jackson quickly found his range to score. The fly half was on target again a minute later to give his side a 6-0 lead with just 10 minutes on the clock.

However, despite no longer being able to qualify for the semi-finals of the competition, it was clear the Dragons hadn’t travelled down the M4 looking to make up the numbers. After fiercely competing for a ball on halfway, they turned over Sarries possession and wing Will Harries spotted a gap on the touchline. He raced clear and cut inside Jackson before racing outside Rodd Penney to cross the line. Jason Tovey converted to give the visitors the lead.

Sarries immediately mounted an attack from the restart and pressured the Dragons line, forcing them into the mistake which allowed Jackson to regain the lead. However, Tovey then saw a long range effort from just inside the Sarries half creep over the bar.

Jackson replied with another effort with 10 minutes of the half remaining but Tovey had the final say of the opening 40 minutes when his effort on the stroke of half time cleared the posts.

The Dragons picked up where they left off after the break and their second try of the game followed in almost identical fashion of the first. The home side lost possession in midfield and after a quick break, Harries outsprinted the home defence to touch down a chip ahead. Tovey converted to give the Dragons a 20-12 lead with 50 minutes on the clock.

Three changes immediately after the try saw Tom Ryder, Derick Hougaard and Neil de Kock take the field and Hougaard was quickly involved in the action as he dropped goal from 35 metres to cut the deficit.

And it wasn’t long before Sarries crossed the line themselves. Hougaard’s up and under was collected by Tovey inside his own 22, but the Dragons fly half hadn’t counted on a terrific chase from Chris Wyles who charged down his kick and collected the ball to score. Hougaard converted to give Sarries a 22-20 lead on the hour.

However, when the Dragons went into the Sarries 22 five minutes later, Tovey took full advantage to drop a goal and give his side a single point lead.

For the final 10 minutes, Sarries pushed but couldn’t find the winner. Hougaard saw two long range penalties drift wide along with a drop goal. Wyles also had two efforts at three points, but both were off target.

The Dragons held on to win but the bonus point sees Saracens through to the semi-finals of the LV=Cup in March.

Saracens line-up: Wyles, Haughton (Short 60), Penney, Powell, Tagicakibau, Jackson (Hougaard 50), Marshall (de Kock 50), Lealamanua, Brits (Reynecke 62), Skuse, Smith, Botha (Ryder 50), Van Heerden (Saull 60), Burger, Joubert. Replacements not used: Brown, Nieto.