MATCH REPORT | Saracens 32-21 Loughborough Lightning (PWR Rd 8)
Saracens Women survived a Loughborough Lightning fightback to secure a bonus-point win and move themselves back into the play-off places.
After a defeat last weekend, Saracens were determined to hit back, but they found themselves having to defend in the opening exchanges, as Loughborough looked to press and probe with their star-studded backline.
It took until 10 minutes into the contest for Saracens to have their first sniff in the Loughborough 22, as Sarah McKenna dinked into the backfield for Alysha Corrigan to chase.
A bounce off the flagpost looked to have gifted the Canadian a first try back in Sarries colours, but she was denied, as her foot just brushed the touchline as she went to ground the ball.
That mattered little though for Sarries in the end, as moments later, Zoe Harrison crashed over from a quickly taken penalty for her second try in as many games.
Saracens were starting to purr in attack now, with Emma Hardy pressing and probing in attack.
McKenna was proving to be a huge threat in attack, as she ghosted into the backfield with a stunning slaloming run, before Lightning conceded another penalty.
Off the back of the maul, Saracens made no mistake, with Corrigan arriving at pace to her try at the second time of asking.
Harrison converted, but Lightning hit back immediately, as Scarratt and Kelter combined to set Krissy Scurfield away, before Fran Goldthorp crossed again moments later, to level the match in a matter of minutes.
Saracens had one final chance at the end of the half, as Sharifa Kasolo and Kelsey Clifford crashed up towards the line, but a knock-on stopped the Sarries charge.
Sarries needed to rediscover the spark in the second period, in the face of some brutal Lightning defence.
After being held up over the line, Harrison looked for a drop goal attempt from the goal line restart, but the kick drifted agonisingly wide of the post.
That mattered little though, as Sarries eventually found a way back into the lead after another scything break from Hardy and a brutal carry from Louise McMillan.
Once they were within sight of the line, the pack did the rest, with McKinley Hunt crashing over to restore the lead.
Saracens were starting to play with more of the ball in the Loughborough half now, with Harrison slotting a penalty to increase the lead further after another wave of attack had been halted by the Lightning defence.
The visitors refused to give in though, and hit back again moments later through former Saracen Alev Kelter, as the USA international gathered a kick through, before showing an eye for the line to dot down and narrow the gap.
The Lightning defence was proving to be a huge thorn in the side of Sarries, as they held up a surging driving maul twice in quick succession, but eventually, the pressure told, as Fancy Bermudez darted back inside to score her first try for the club and secure the bonus-point.
Loughborough continued to have chances, but Harrison slotted another penalty in the final moments of the game, to see out a hard-fought win for her side.
