Saracens boss Alan Gaffney insists his team's Guinness Premiership play-off hopes are over following today's crushing 39-15 defeat at leaders Gloucester.

Just six days after memorably grounding Heineken Cup quarter-final opponents the Ospreys, Saracens capitulated at Kingsholm.

And while Gloucester stretched their lead at the top to six points, Saracens drifted further away from play-off contention with just three games remaining.

Gaffney said: ''The play-offs are out of reach now.

''But there is still Heineken Cup qualification for next season, so we have got to be striving now for a top-six finish.''

Saracens could also qualify by winning the Heineken Cup this term, although semi-final opponents Munster have little to fear on today's evidence.

Gloucester scored six tries, including two in three minutes from fly-half Ryan Lamb, and it could have been more, especially during a hopelessly one-sided second period.

Gaffney added: ''The performances last weekend and this weekend were like chalk and cheese.

''We went out with a game plan, but we didn't adhere to it and were just not good at what we did.

''We were hopelessly beaten at the breakdown and outplayed in the contact area.

''Last week, we tore the Ospreys apart at the breakdown - this week, we just didn't compete there.

''We didn't play anywhere near to how we can, and that's the conundrum for us.

''Munster made Gloucester play on the back foot last week, which was what we wanted to do, but we weren't nearly as successful as Munster were at it.''

Gloucester though, march on. With bottom club Leeds visiting Kingsholm next Saturday, another bonus point win would edge them towards a home game in next month's title play-offs.

The Cherry and Whites finished with six tries - centre James Simpson-Daniel, flanker Akapusi Qera, wing Lesley Vainikolo and scrum-half Rory Lawson also touched down - and head coach Dean Ryan was delighted by his team's response a week after crashing out of the Heineken Cup.

Gloucester's Premiership lead could be cut by title rivals Bath, Harlequins or Leicester during the next three days, yet they could take some dislodging from pole position.

Ryan said: ''I am very happy with that performance.

''We have been top of the Premiership for most of the season, and we deserve credit for that.

''We control the remainder of the season ourselves. Two of our last three games are at home, and we can control our play-off position. That is all you can ask for.''

Lamb, who finished with 19 points, added: ''When it clicks like that, it looks very good.

''We've only got one competition now this season, and we are totally focused on our last three games in the Premiership.''