Goode gives Bath the boot

Saracens full-back Alex Goode kicked fifteen points to set up a which set up a 20-9 victory over Bath at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

The four points gained reduces the gap between second-placed Sarries and league leaders Leicester back to three points following the Tigers' victory over Harlequins on Saturday.

Winger Strettle scored the only try of the match and Goode kicked five penalties. For Bath, the result puts a huge dent in their hopes of a top-four finish, despite nine points from the boot of fly-half Butch James.

Early errors from Bath allowed Goode to put his side 6-0 ahead with two penalties before the visitors responded with a penalty from James.

Yet the hosts began to dominate as the interval approached and Strettle collected a pass from former Bath prop Matt Stevens and scampered clear in the right-hand corner.

After a slow start to the second half, Goode and James traded penalties as both sides struggled to make defensive inroads as the respective packs dominated.

Stevens was a standout player for the home side, putting in a man-of-the-match display for his new club as they stifled Bath's attacking intentions.

The result leaves Bath seventh in the Premiership table, 13 points behind the top four and a place in the play-offs.

Bath's England centre Matt Banahan went close in the closing stages but his side has committed an infringement earlier in the move and the visitors' hopes of securing a losing bonus point were dashed.

The scorers:

For Saracens:
Try: Strettle
Pens: Goode 5

For Bath:
Pens: James 3

Saracens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 David Strettle, 13 Chris Wyles, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Richard Wigglesworth, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Hayden Smith, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Matt Stevens.
Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Petrus du Plessis, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Jacques Burger, 21 Kevin Barrett, 22 Adam Powell, 23 Noah Cato.

Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Matt Banahan, 13 Ben Williams, 12 Shontayne Hape, 11 Matt Carraro, 10 Butch James, 9 Michael Claassens, 8 Simon Taylor, 7 Luke Watson (c), 6 Ben Skirving, 5 Peter Short, 4 Stuart Hooper, 3 Duncan Bell, 2 Lee Mears, 1 David Flatman.
Replacements: 16 Pieter Dixon, 17 Nathan Catt, 18 David Wilson, 19 Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 20 Guy Mercer, 21 Mark McMillan, 22 Sam Vesty, 23 Jack Cuthbert.

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)