With many of the Wanderers team seeing their first action of the New Year, it was understandable that it took a bit of time for their players to find their feet against a potent-looking Saracens outfit.

Indeed the visitors had the best of the opening few minutes, Owen Farrell lining a second-minute drop-goal attempt and the forwards giving themselves a great platform from a five-metre lineout.

But the fly half's attempt went wide and the pack were pulled up for accidental offside, and the Wanderers made the most of their good fortune by taking the lead in the seventh minute through Alex Waller. Saracens had looked to have halted the prop, but his power took him through the defence and his pace over the line. Christian Lewis-Pratt converted and the hosts were 7-0 up.

Saracens replied through their own loosehead prop, Kas Lealamanua, whose run was considerably shorter than Waller's but whose eye for the line was just the same. But Farrell's accuracy with the boot was not on a par with Lewis-Pratt, and when the latter kicked a penalty at the end of the opening quarter it put the hosts 10-5 ahead.

A Lewis-Pratt cross kick almost created a second try as the Wanderers began to impose themselves. It was set up by Nick Greenhalgh's scorching break down the right touchline and needed a timely Michael Tagicakibau tackle on Grant Anderson to prevent the score.

This chance may have gone, but the Wanderers nevertheless went further ahead before the half-hour. Again it was forward power that created the try, this time from Mark Easter through the middle, but it took an excellent finish from Joe Ansbro to make sure of the five points.

Saracens had a spell of pressure negated by some excellent work at the breakdown from the Wanderers, so much so that when Lewis-Pratt landed his second penalty on the stroke of the break the hosts headed for their half-time chat leading 18-5.

Despite another great Greenhalgh break, one that Saracens found difficult to deal with, the opening 10 minutes of the second half were scoreless. Kicks were also proving dangerous with Paul Diggin and Lewis-Pratt both bypassing the rushing visitors by putting boot to ball, Jamie Elliott and Chris Mayor the respective recipients.

Even though the scorers weren't being tested by the two teams, the respective back threes were being regularly put under pressure by the rain of high balls being sent up; Elliott in particular showing a safe pair of hands and cool head to deal with Noah Cato's towering effort.

Cato has more of a reputation as a runner, but even the highly rated youngster, and a three-on-one overlap, managed to butcher a golden try-scoring chance just past the hour, although Saracens received a boost in this passage of play when home hooker Andy Long was yellow carded for killing the ball.

It increasingly looked like neither team wanted to break the deadlock. Lewis-Pratt sent a penalty wide and Saracens blew another dangerous overlap. But then Saracens set up a potentially thrilling finish by scoring through lock Hayden Smith with four minutes to go.

Farrell's conversion took the score to 18-12, and when Saracens won a penalty to prevent an immediate Wanderers reply they headed upfield looking for the winning score. The search proved fruitless as Farrell fumbled in the final attack, Charlie Sadler cleared to touch and referee Martin Fox brought an end to the action.

Teams
Wanderers - Diggin; Greenhalgh (Elliott 40mins), Ansbro, Mayor (Sadler 60mins), Anderson; Lewis-Pratt, Brake (Day 72mins); Waller (Parkins 50mins), Sharman (Long 40mins), Morris (Vickers 60mins), Giles, Ingle (Heywood 80mins), Hopley (capt)(Barker 32mins (J Gray 70-76mins)), S Gray (J Gray 76mins), Easter

Scorers - Tries: Waller, Ansbro; Con: Lewis-Pratt: Pens: Lewis-Pratt (2)

Yellow card - Long (64mins)

Saracens - Cato (Hearn 76mins); Tagicakibau, Staff (Terblanche 40mins), Sorrell, Short; Farrell, Barrett; Lealamanua (Tawera 63mins), Reynecke (capt)(Allen 67mins), Mercey (Brown 63mins), Smith (Spencer 76mins), Kruis, Burger, Fraser, Barrell (Bache 67mins)

Scorers - Tries: Lealamanua, Smith; Con: Farrell

TIMELINE:
1min SAR Miss DG Farrell
7mins WAND Try Waller Con L-Pratt 7-0
14mins SAR Try Lealamanua 7-5
20mins WAND Pen L-Pratt 10-5
28mins WAND Try Ansbro 15-5
40+2mins WAND Pen L-Pratt 18-5
HALF-TIME WANDERERS 18 SARACENS 5
64mins WAND Yellow card Long
69mins WAND Miss pen L-Pratt
76mins SAR Try Smith Con Farrell 18-12
FULL-TIME WANDERERS 18 SARACENS 12