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MATCH REPORT Wanderers downed by Saracens' second half Storm

Travis PerkinsSponsored by Travis Perkins

The hosts had led 13-10 after shading a competitive first 40 but an early Saracens try set the tone for what followed in the second period - a half they would win 10-23 having held off a the Wanderers' last ditch attempts.


The hosts enjoyed the brighter start and after Will Hooley's three-pointer in the seventh minute, produced a stunner for the game's first try.


Running back a deflected Wanderers kick, Noah Cato and Ben Nutley both showed fine hands to keep the move flowing and it only slowed down at the Saracens line for Ethan Waller to be driven over, Hooley adding the touchline extras.


Saracens hit back with a 10-minute spell of their own, Nils Mordt slotting a penalty and inadvertently assisting James Short's try. The fly half's second penalty of the evening cannoned back of the upright and with Duncan Taylor gathering the rebound Saracens whipped it wide to their waiting winger.


This time Mordt hit the target and with a quarter played the sides were back as they had started. It wouldn't stay that way for long though, Hooley maintaining his 100 percent record with a 40-metre penalty and while Saracens threatened with the final play, Cato's crunching hit was followed by a turnover and handbags to end the first half.


The Wanderers had been causing havoc at the visitors' line out all night long, but when Jamie George hit his man with his first throw of the second 40, Sarries laid siege to the try line with slow but steady maul and Taylor was shoved over the whitewash.


Mordt added to the slender lead not with the conversion but with a penalty five minutes later and Alex Rae then charged down a kick that would end in Short doubling up in the left corner.


It had been a sluggish resumption from the hosts and a first miss of the night followed from Hooley as his penalty struck the left upright plum in the middle. Mordt compounded the miss with a drilled drop goal and three scores down, the Wanderers also went a man down with Cato binned for not rolling away.


Mordt missed the subsequent kick but when Vasily Artemyev failed to gather Ryan Glynn's pass, Saracens struck clinically again. Sam Stanley coasted under the posts and with Mordt's extras, the difference had become 20 in a flash.


Replacements meant the Wanderers had effectively become an Academy side but they would still have the better of the next 15 minutes. Ironically it was from a turnover that one of the few remaining first teamers, Scott Armstrong, would notch a deserved try.


Ben Nutley's dart up the right then ended in a try on the left with Anders Mogensen gathering Mark Hopley's offload but one final counter from deep fizzled out and premature celebrations that had stalled from the Saracens camp could continue.


TIMELINE

6mins WAND Pen Hooley 3-0

9mins WAND Try E Waller Con Hooley 10-0

17mins SAR Pen Mordt 10-3

22mins SAR Miss pen Mordt

23mins SAR Try Short Con Mordt 10-10

27mins WAND Pen Hooley 13-10

39mins SAR Miss pen Mordt

HALF-TIME WAND 13 SAR 10

46mins SAR Try Taylor 10-15

51mins SAR Pen Mordt 10-18

53mins SAR Try Short 10-23

58mins WAND Miss pen Hooley

62mins SAR DG Mordt 10-26

63mins WAND Yellow Cato

63mins SAR Miss pen Mordt

66mins SAR Try Stanley Con Mordt 13-30

74mins WAND Try Armstrong 18-30

78mins WAND Try Mogensen 23-30

FULL-TIME WAND 23 SAR 30

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