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Alex Lozowski booted a penalty with the game’s final kick as Saracens claimed a thrilling 37-35 Gallagher Premiership victory over Bristol at Ashton Gate.
Bristol captain Fitz Harding scored three tries to put the hosts in the driving seat – scrum-half Harry Randall and wing Toby Fricker also touched down – but Saracens showed admirable resilience.
Six days after losing to Harlequins, Saracens struggled at times to cope with Bristol’s exhilarating attacking game, but full-back Elliot Daly scored tries, with wing Rotimi Segun and flanker Toby Knight also scoring, while Lozowski kicked 17 points.
Fly-half AJ MacGinty landed two penalties and two conversions for Bristol, but they were ultimately pipped at the post as Lozowski struck three minutes into stoppage time to return Saracens to the Premiership summit in dramatic fashion.
How Saracens edge top-of-the-table thriller
Bristol delivered an immediate statement of intent when Harding opened the scoring after just 107 seconds, before a MacGinty penalty soon after put them eight points ahead.
Saracens worked their way into the contest after Gabriel Ibitoye was yellow-carded for pushing a player off the ball, as Knight went over from close range and Lozowski added the extras.
Bristol struck again midway through a free-flowing opening quarter when replacement Benjamin Elizalde weaved his way through and sent support runner Randall over, only for Saracens to regain the lead when Daly freed Segun for a brilliant finish.
Harding claimed his second try, which was converted by MacGinty, but an angled Lozowski penalty ended a pulsating opening 40 minutes with Bristol’s lead cut to 20-17.
Fitz Harding scored three tries for Bristol in their narrow defeat
Bristol conjured a stunning score after just 51 seconds after the restart when Ibitoye beat four defenders and offloaded with one hand, then Jenkins and Oghre combined to free up Harding to complete his hat-trick.
MacGinty converted and the hosts increased the lead four minutes later after Saracens fly-half Alex Goode had been sin-binned, striking from deep through another mesmerising move that was finished by Fricker.
Toby Fricker extended Bristol’s advantage in the second half
Saracens battled back as Daly finished impressively, with Lozowski’s successful touchline conversion and a later penalty leaving his team 32-27 adrift midway through the third quarter.
A MacGinty penalty restored an eight-point advantage for Bristol, but Daly pounced for Saracens for his second try with eight minutes left – again converted from wide out by Lozowski – to put the game in the balance.
Lozowski then settled the contest in remarkable fashion with the final kick of the game, converting his penalty in the 83rd minute to snatch victory from Bristol and jump Saracens top of the table.
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