What an anti-climax! Saracens scraped the win they needed so desperately but they were incredibly lucky to catch Leicester on a day when the Tigers had left all their invincibility somewhere on the M1.

The reigning champions were a massive disappointment. They had not lost a league game since coming here on 5 December last year but they lacked confidence and ideas against a team obviously struggling for form.

The watching Tim Horan claimed to be impressed but the great Wallaby must have been secretly wondering what he has let himself in for. If this is the standard at the top whatever is it like at the bottom? Somebody should quickly reassure him that both teams had an off day, they are really much better than this.

The conditions were perfect - a bright sunny day and more than 13000 spectators but the match was a total let-down - at times a real comedy of errors. Saracens just about deserved the win for the invention that Thomas Castaignède offered even if he did have a dreadful first half with the boot.

Tim Stimpson opened the scoring for Leicester after 10 minutes with a massive penalty from half-way and on the right touch-line after Castaignède had missed from wide on his right but only half the distance.

Saracens looked in trouble again a couple of minutes later when Brett Sparg missed Castaignède with a wild pass but what might have been a scoring pass from Martin Corry to Alister Newmarch was beautifully intercepted by Duncan McRae; he chipped ahead on the Leicester 10 metre line and, despite Healey's efforts, won the race for the touchdown.

Castaignède missed the conversion and was wide again with a simple penalty chance after Garforth was sin-binned for some skullduggery off the ball spotted by touch-judge Steve Lander. McRae took over the kicking duties when Saracens were awarded yet another kickable penalty but fared no better.

Numbers were evened up at the end of the first quarter when Garforth was joined by Saracens centre, Ben Johnston, for coming in from the wrong side to kick the ball away when Leon Lloyd was brought down just a couple of metres short. The difference was that Stimpson punished the offence, passing the 500 point milestone in league rugby for Leicester as he gave them the lead.

Castaignède was restored to kicking duties and was on target at last - from right in front and on the 22 - to regain the lead for Saracens five minutes before half-time but they were left rueing those four missed kicks when Stimpson made it three out of three just before the break.

The huge cheers that greeted Castaignède's sweetly struck penalty two minutes into the second half to give Saracens the lead for the third time turned to groans of dismay straight from the restart when McRae took his eye off the ball and knocked on in goal.

Even bigger cheers as Castaignède brought off a remarkable try saving tackle on Newmarch and his rehabilitation was complete when he handed another long penalty to make it 14-9.

Howard opened up the home defence with a surge down the middle but both sides were making too many unforced errors (even Martin Johnson was guilty of losing the ball in the tackle) and once again Saracens escaped.

The home forwards appeared to be gaining an edge and finally created a hole to send Castaignède scampering under the posts only to be hauled back because the pass to him was forward.

Johnston should have missed the final 10 minutes after hauling back Canadian wing Winston Stanley when he did not have the ball but this time Lander chickened out and to add to the injustice Stimpson missed for the first time in the game. Back stormed Sarries and it was Castaignède who opened up the all important eight point lead with a 75th minute penalty.

Saracens - try: McRae; pens: Castaignède 4

Leicester - pens: Stimpson 3