Number eight Adam Balding takes on the Saracens defence

Gloucester: (18) 21
Tries: Keil 2
Con: Walker
Pens: Walker 2, Mercier

Saracens: (9) 12
Pens: Jackson 4

Gloucester went top of the Premiership as they maintained their unbeaten start with a hard-fought win over Saracens.

After stand-off Willie Walker landed an early penalty, centre Rudi Keil crossed for the first of his two first-half tries after Ryan Lamb's step and pass.

Keil's second put Gloucester 18-3 ahead, but Saracens stayed in touch with two more Glenn Jackson penalties.

Jackson's fourth made it 18-12 but replacement Ludovic Mercier steadied Gloucester with a clinching penalty.

Victory lifted them above West Country neighbours Bristol on points difference, with the top five - including Sale, Wasps and Leicester - divided by just two points.

Andy Farrell came on at centre for Saracens for the final 10 minutes, but could do little to change the game as Gloucester closed it out.

The Cherry and Whites were also buoyed by the return of wing James Simpson-Daniel, who played his first match this season since breaking a collarbone.

"We did allow Saracens back into the game but we will learn from that and at a difficult time for us resource-wise, it is a great four points.

"Ludo (Mercier) did well when he came on and I thought (scrum-half) Rory Lawson was outstanding."

"We have improved enormously in our discipline of late but tonight something went missing.

"We will have to look at the video and work out the interpretations in areas where we have been pretty vigilant in recent weeks."

Gloucester: Walker; Bailey, Adams, Keil, Simpson-Daniel; Lamb, Lawson; Wood, Davies, Nieto; Eustace, Bortolami (capt); Buxton, Narraway, Balding.
Replacements: Collazo, Azam, Pendlebury, James, Thomas, Mercier, Thirlby.

Saracens: Scarbrough; Haughton, Sorrell, Johnston, Ratuvou; Jackson, De Kock; Yates, Ongaro, Visagie; Fullarton, Raiwalui (capt); Vyvyan, Seymour, Skirving.
Replacements: Byrne, Liffchak, Ryder, Chesney, Dickens, Farrell, Penney.