They were certainly in good voice during the opening 10 minutes as their men in white sought to impose themselves on the game. Soane Tonga'uiha, James Downey and Jon Clarke were three who made inroads through the middle while Ben Foden made the most of a difficult situation to keep the ball alive out wide.

But this early dominance was not rewarded as Shane Geraghty missed a short-range penalty. Boosted, Saracens headed downfield and created two point-scoring opportunities themselves. However the first, a Glen Jackson drop-goal attempt, was charged down by Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, who raced out of the defensive line like a man possessed to charge the Kiwi down.

The Puma came within an arm's length of recovering the ball too on the 10-metre line. Unfortunately it went forward and when Saracens got themselves to the visitors' 22 Jackson had another go at the posts, this time from the kicking tee. Again he missed, but as the first quarter ticked into the second Saints found themselves under more pressure.

They did superbly to turn Kameli Ratuvou over while he was charging for the line, and again to win a penalty in the hosts' next attack. Saracens' approach certainly wasn't subtle, but after 23 minutes they turned their own pressure into points with a Jackson drop-goal.

Saints were in no mood to capitulate though, far from it, and five minutes later they were level. Saracens had looked to have soaked up what was being thrown at them, but the visitors kept their heads, and the ball, and worked their way to the 22.

Geraghty's drop-goal from wide on the right was just reward, but the hard work was undone when Scott Gray conceded a penalty at the kick off. Jackson converted this and a second penalty three minutes later, and from a reasonably comfortable position Saints were in danger of letting the game slip.

There was a great opportunity five minutes from half-time, but Lee Dickson's pass to the charging Tonga'uiha went forward. It was a pity, because the Tongan had hit the line at top speed and had only one man in front of him. Geraghty's missed drop-goal also let Saracens off the hook and the half ended with the hosts leading 9-3.

Saints took a body blow three minutes into the second half. They had started very well with Geraghty looking for space and the forwards driving it up. They got within five metres of the home line too, but Dylan Hartley spilled the ball in a challenge from Noah Cato. There was no one home, Cato picked up and outpaced the chasing Ben Foden to the line.

Jackson's conversion put Saracens 13 points to the good, and Saints needed points quickly. They got them three minutes later following a great team attack. Paul Diggin's offload put Gray through a gap, and Geraghty's delayed pass in the next phase helped put Jon Clarke over in the corner.

Geraghty added the extras superbly from the touchline, but within a couple minutes only a brilliant piece of defence from Foden stopped Chris Wyles scoring Saracens' second try. There was another let-off as Jackson missed his next shot, a 50th-minute penalty attempt, but his next go from halfway sailed over to leave the visitors facing a 19-10 deficit with a quarter of the match to go.

Saints also had to withstand a barrage of home pressure, but they held out and with two Geraghty penalties in quick succession they pulled themselves back to 19-16. And while Geraghty missed a difficult 69th-minute attempt the visitors still had the bonus of having a man advantage thanks to Schalk Brits' yellow card for killing the ball.

But they couldn't make it count. There were chances though - a scrum in the home 22, and a powerful Bruce Reihana run. But there was a midfield fumble in the first instance and Reihana's offload found touch rather than the supporting man.

The drama went down to the final minute as Diggin's dancing feet began a last foray into the home 22. The forwards drove on, everyone celebrated, but the video referee ruled that Tonga'uiha had fumbled over the line. Saracens had a five-metre scrum and then a penalty, and though Saints won the ball back time just ran out.

Teams:
Saracens - Goode; Cato, Ratuvou (Haughton 52-58mins), Barritt, Wyles (Haughton 72mins); Jackson (Hougaard 66mins), De Kock (Marshall 75mins); Gill (Mercey 52mins), Brits, Nieto (Skuse 64mins), Borthwick (capt), Vyvyan (Botha 52mins), Van Heerden (Owen 58mins (Ongaro 74mins)), Saull, Joubert.

Northampton Saints - Foden; Diggin, Clarke, Downey, Reihana; Geraghty, Dickson; Tonga'uiha, Hartley (capt), Bonorino (Mujati 52mins), Fernandez Lobbe (Lawes 52mins), Kruger, Dowson, Gray (Best 62mins), Wilson.

Referee:
Andrew Small

Scorers:
Saracens - Try: Cato; Con: Jackson; Pens: Jackson (3); Drop-goal: Jackson.

Northampton Saints - Try: Clarke; Con: Geraghty; Pens: Geraghty (2); Drop-goal: Geraghty.

Yellow card:
Brits (68mins)

Attendance:
44,842

Guinness man of the match:
Ernst Joubert

TIMELINE:
9mins SAINTS Miss pen Geraghty
10mins SAR Miss DG Jackson
13mins SAR Miss pen Jackson
23mins SAR DG Jackson 3-0
27mins SAINTS DG Geraghty 3-3
29mins SAR Pen Jackson 6-3
32mins SAR Pen Jackson 9-3
38mins SAINTS Miss DG Geraghty
HALF-TIME SARACENS 9 SAINTS 3
43mins SAR Try Cato Con Jackson 16-3
46mins SAINTS Try Clarke Con Geraghty 16-10
50mins SAR Miss pen Jackson
55mins SAR Pen Jackson 19-10
58mins SAINTS Pen Geraghty 19-13
66mins SAINTS Pen Geraghty 19-16
68mins SAR Yellow card Brits
69mins SAINTS Miss pen Geraghty
72mins SAR Miss DG Hougaard
FULL-TIME SARACENS 19 SAINTS 16