Bath 0 Saracens 22: match report After those two intense encounters against Munster over the past fortnight Saracens were in the groove mentally. Bath, though, may have been refreshed after amassing 106 points in their Amlin Cup double-header against Calvisano but suddenly found themselves having to make a big step up and were found wanting. Despite the conditions Saracens were determined to keep the ball in hand early on and rocked Bath back with their attacking intent although a 45m Hodgson penalty was initially their only reward. They kept pressing though and their reward came in the 25th minute with a try straight from the training ground. Richard Wigglesworth fed Hodgson from a line-out on the Bath 22 and the fly-half sold a persuasive inside dummy as he took the ball at pace. David Strettle, steaming up on his inside shoulder, took the move on before handing back to Wigglesworth, who slid over from a couple of yards out. With Hodgson adding the conversion, Saracens were in the ascendancy, a situation they improved before half-time with two long-range Hodgson efforts. Bath were much improved after the break and began to rumble forward with serious intent to pressurise Saracens. The visitors, however, boast the tightest defence in the Premiership having conceded just nine tries so far and they resisted in spirited fashion. They were disciplined, too. Saracens did not concede any soft penalties and having weathered the storm re-established their stranglehold of the game in the last 20 minutes when Hodgson finished the job with another brace of penalties. Job done, the carols were already starting as the bus pulled out of the car park. Scoring sequence: 0-3 Hodgson pen, 0-8 Wigglesworth try, 0-10 Hodgson con, 0-13 Hodgson pen, 0-16 Hodgson pen, 0-19 Hodgson pen, 0-22 Hodgson pen. Bath: N Abendanon; H Agulla, K Eastmond, B Williams (D Hipkiss, 60), T Biggs; S Donald, M Claassens; P James, L Mears, D Wilson, S Hooper (capt), D Day, F Louw, G Mercer, S Taylor. Saracens: C Wyles; C Ashton (J Short, 62), J Tomkins, O Farrell, D Strettle; C Hodgson, R Wigglesworth (N de Kock, 50); M Vunipola (R Gill, 50), S Brits (J George, 62), M Stevens; S Borthwick (capt), M Botha, G Kruis, W Fraser (A Saull, 60) K Brown. Referee: G Garner (RFU).