Newcastle (3) 13 Tries: Rudd Cons: May Pens: May (2)
Saracens (9) 9 Pens: Jackson (3)
Newcastle's Rudd scored the only try of the game
A superb second-half display earned Newcastle a third successive league win and dented Saracens' play-off hopes.
Saracens enjoyed the better of a scrappy first half, in which Newcastle's Tom Rudd was sin-binned, and went into the break 9-3 ahead.
The hosts raced out of the blocks when wing Rudd scored following a quick penalty from Micky Young.
Saracens had Justin Marshall sent to the sin-bin 10 minutes before the break and a Tom May penalty secured victory.
Newcastle named an unchanged line-up following last Friday's bonus-point 35-3 win at Bristol, while Saracens made three changes from last Saturday's defeat at Northampton.
Brad Barritt and Adam Powell formed a new centre pairing while wing Kameli Ratuvou came in for Noah Cato.
Saracens led 6-0 through the boot of Glen Jackson and in the 26th minute Rudd was sin-binned for what appeared a reckless tackle on Marshall.
The visitors kicked to the corner and, from the line-out, won a penalty in front of the sticks that Jackson kicked to make it 9-0.
May got Newcastle on the scorecard before the break with a penalty and Newcastle emerged from half-time revitalised.
Saracens withstood a sustained spell of pressure, holding up a drive over the line, but caved in when Rudd crossed over for a try which May converted.
With Saracens down to 14-men following Marshall's sin-bin, May made the advantage tell by kicking a penalty from the right with five minutes to go.
Newcastle director of rugby Steve Bates: "We said all week that the great support we got in Bristol was really influential and I know there were a lot of people thinking of us.
"They deserved us to put in a massive performance and I thought the first half just wasn't that.
"I thought the first half was pretty dire and I'm pleased we had the character to turn it round in the second half.
"We played the conditions on the pitch much better. We were much more disciplined in terms of the referee and in terms of the way we played and I thought on our second-half performance, we deserved to win it."
Saracens director of rugby Eddie Jones:
"We've got to start putting some wins together haven't we? We've still got plenty of games to go and that's a good thing.
"It was very disappointing. I just can't work it out. The first 40 was pretty good.
"The second half we gave away two penalties at tackles that allowed them to get some momentum.
"They held the ball, they're in front and that's the end of the game."
Newcastle: Tait, D. Williams, Noon, Tu'ipulotu, Rudd, May, Young, D. Wilson, Vickers, Hayman, Swinson, Parling, Dowson, Williamson, Balding. Replacements: Golding for D. Wilson (41), Thompson for Vickers (69), Perry for Swinson (70), B. Wilson for Balding (49). Not Used: Charlton, Clegg, Davey.
Sin Bin: Rudd (26).
Saracens: Goode, Haughton, Powell, Barritt, Ratuvou, Jackson, Marshall, Lloyd, Cairns, Johnston, Ryder, Vyvyan, van Heerden, Saull, Skirving. Replacements: Penney for Haughton (61), Visagie for Johnston (41), Smith for Vyvyan (73), Barrell for Saull (73). Not Used: Kyriacou, Wilson, Ross.
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