SARACENS proved to be too hot for Worcester Warriors on a freezing cold afternoon at Vicarage Road, scoring three tries to nil as they ran out comfortable victors in this Guinness Premiership clash.

Warriors lost fly-half Loki Crichton, himself deuptising for injured number 10 Matthew Jones, to an ankle problem after just 20 minutes, but full-back Chris Pennell managed to add two penalties.

Worcester went into the game on the back of consecutive league victories, whereas Sarries were in a mini-slump having lost back-to-back matches, but there was only ever going to be one winner as the hosts took charge from the outset.

After three minutes, Saracens fly-half Glen Jackson wasted the first point-scoring opportunity of the match, pulling his 40-metre effort just wide.

However, the hosts were soon on the front foot after Warriors outside-half Crichton mis-judged his clearing kick and it ran dead, giving Sarries an attacking scrum. Worcester infringed at the set-piece and Jackson made no mistake to make it 3-0.

Kameli Ratuvou soon added a try for Saracens after home full-back Alex Goode gathered Pennell's up-and-under and was allowed to run deep into Worcester territory before finding flanker Andy Saull who sent the right wing over in the corner. Jackson missed the conversion.

It was one-way traffic in the early stages as Saracens found plenty of space and attacked at will as the Warriors' defence struggled to keep up.

Worcester then decided to stop kicking the ball aimlessly and worked a few phases through the hands which seemed to suit them better.

Dale Rasmussen stepped into a gap and burst up to the Sarries' line. The outside-centre stumbled before he could get over, but an off-side in the build-up meant Pennell was able to pull back three points from the penalty.

Worcester then stole a line-out on the hosts’ 10-metre line and flanker Saull was guilty of not rolling away and this time Pennell split the uprights from close to the half-way line.

However, from the re-start, Matt Powell’s clearing kick was charged down, forcing the Sixways side right back onto their own try-line.

From the scrum, a huge shunt from the Warriors front row won a penalty for the visitors, though, and saw props Tevita Taumoe-peau and Matt Mullan receiving plenty of pats on the back — none more so than from their scrum-half.

Worcester inside-centre Sam Tuitupou was sent to the sin-bin on 33 minutes for taking out Saracens full-back Alex Goode after he had got his kick away.

Saracens kicked at goal from where Goode’s clearance had landed but, again, Jackson was wayward.

Another penalty for the hosts soon followed for a Netani Talei high tackle. This time, Jackson kicked for the corner and it proved to be a good decision.

The fly-half ended up getting on to the ball in the line, throwing a dummy, and going over in the corner for a try. He still couldn’t find his kicking boots for the conversion however.

But the Sarries’ stand-off found his range two minutes into the second-half, splitting the posts to make it 16-6 after Worcester came in at the side.

At the first scrum after Chris Horsman joined the fray, Warriors won a penalty for Sarries collapsing and Pennell kicked to the corner.

From the line-out, Worcester kept the ball tight and won another penalty on the floor. This time, Pennell opted for a go at the posts, but his contact wasn’t the cleanest and the ball skewed wide left.

Rasmussen again put Worcester on the front foot with a midfield break, but when the ball was shipped wide Powell spilt it forward in the tackle as Miles Benjamin looked to touch down.

After dotting the ball down for a 22 drop-out, Pennell inexplicable gave Sarries a scrum on the Warriors 22 by drop-kicking the ball straight into touch.

Sarries’ scrum-half Neil De Kock’s break set up an attack which ended with replacement Brad Barritt diving over for his first try for the club and Jackson added the extras.

Warriors attempted to stage a late rally but, as they had done all afternoon, they struggled to get any change out of the home rearguard.