Bath United had had to defend for the opening five minutes or so, in the face of some fluent attacking by the backs, but did so admirably, turning them over twice at the ruck. However, eventually Bath stepped offside in range of goal, and Ross Laidlaw struck a penalty to give the visitors an early lead.

They went further ahead when Rodd Penney sailed through a gap after United had lost their own lineout, and his touchdown under the posts made the conversion straightforward.

Bath nearly struck back minutes later, thanks to an initial break by Banahan. He passed to Michael Stephenson but Ian Davey, who took it from the full-back, had little room to work in and was tackled into touch just shy of the line.

Saracens compounded the disappointment of the missed opportunity, when a move from a scrum just in their own half finished with flanker Tom Audley running over the tryline unchallenged. Bath might have clawed back somke points soon after, when Saracens conceded a penalty for arguing with the referee. But the ball went over the tail of the lineout and could not be cleanly reclaimed.

Instead, Laidlaw put Saracens further ahead with a second penalty in front of the posts. An inspired break by Banahan around the half-hour mark suggested United might get on the scoresheet at last, but Davey could not quite take the pass. The left wing came close moments later in a move similar to his earlier near-miss, but Saracens’ defence remained unyielding.

However, it was third time lucky for Davey, who scored thanks to a weaving run by Scott Simmons that left the defenders standing. It left United 7-20 down at half-time, but Cozens drew first blood in the second half with a confident penalty from in front of the posts.

Bath’s pack then underwent a stern examination with a series of scrums five metres from their line. But though a penalty allowed them to clear, Saracens were soon on the attack again, and Tomas de Vedia finished off their third try, which Tim Taylor converted.

After the restart, an excellent break by George Hughes took play over halfway and into the 22, but he could not find the support before being taken into touch. It inspired a further attack, but the referee halted play after an injury to Mike Myerscough. Fortunately, the lock was able to walk off and play resumed, but the ball was turned over before United could muster another score.

And though they defended well for some time after, and also enjoyed some time in possession, Moses Rauluni took Saracens over 30 points with a try from short range. But United had the last word, for although Rauluni threatened to break away and add a gloss to Saracens’ score, Stephenson fielded his chip kick well, and Banahan backed himself to run all the way in from sixty metres, gaining the biggest cheer of the game.

Scorers:
7: Penalty Laidlaw, 0-3
14: Try Penney, Conversion Laidlaw, 0-10
20: Try Audley, Con, 0-17
26: Pen Laidlaw, 0-20
36: Try Davey, Con Cozens, 7-20
(Half-time)
43: Pen Cozens, 10-20
52: Try De Vedia, Con Taylor, 10-27
76: Try Rauluni, Con Taylor, 10-34
80+3: Try Banahan, Con Cozens, 17-34

BATH UNITED: 15. M Stephenson 14. M Banahan 13. G Hughes 12. S Simmons (Cuthbert, 59) 11. I Davey (Perry, 80) 10. L Cozens 9. P Travagli (Depledge, 80) 1. L Ovens 2. R Hawkins (Ward, 59) 3. M Lilley (Penny, 75) 4. R Fidler (Griffiths, 41) 5. M Myerscough (Bentall, 59) 6. J Miller 7. J Scaysbrook 8. C Goodman (captain)

Replacements from: 16. J Cuthbert 17. A Penny 18. J Bentall 19. A Griffiths 20. D Ward 21. S Depledge 22. C Perry

SARACENS ‘A’: 15. T de Vedia 14. R Haughton (Rauluni, 28) 13. R Penney 12. T Taylor 11. O Marchon 10. R Laidlaw (Wilson, 41) 9. A Dickens 1. A Liffchak 2. A Kyriacou (Gornal, 68) 3. J Johnston (A Walker, 76) 4. H Spencer 5. H Vyvyan (captain; R Gill, 76) 6. A Preocanin 7. T Audley 8. P Gustard (Hurlock, 64)
 
Replacements: 16. B Gornal 17. A Walker 19. R Gill 20. M Rauluni 21. M Wilson 22., J Hurlock

Referee: T Beddow