Saracens edge close game with Gloucester

Saracens narrowly beat Gloucester in a scrappy match at Vicarage Road this afternoon.

A close opening 25 minutes saw Billy Twelvetrees and Charlie Hodgson kick two penalties each.

Dan Murphy charged down an Akapusi Qera kick to score a try for the visitors just before the half-hour mark.

Three minutes later, Murphy found himself in the sin bin, allowing Saracens to cut Gloucester's lead to one point at the break.

The home side briefly led at the start of the second half through Hodgson's fifth penalty of the game.

Qera added Gloucester's second try to restore their lead, but found themselves down to 14 men again when Simon Kalamafoni was sin binned.

A Richard Wigglesworth try put Saracens back in front.

A 70th-minute penalty from Hodgson, his 7th successful 3-point kick of the game, left Gloucester needing a try in the last 10 minutes.

Saracens finished the game with 14 after Wigglesworth was sin-binned with two minutes remaining.

The win moves Saracens up to second in the Aviva Premiership table, while Gloucester sit fifth.