Bath blew hot in Arctic conditions at Vicarage Road to record a resounding Premiership victory that finally destroyed Saracens' fading title dream.

Centre Mike Tindall scored two tries, and his England team-mate Iain Balshaw delivered the killer blow with a smartly-worked 67th-minute touchdown.

Hooker Andy Long rubbed salt into a gaping Saracens wound through an injury time interception try, collecting Kyran Bracken's wild pass, earning Bath a bonus point in the process.

Full-back Matt Perry landed all four conversions and kicked a penalty as Saracens never recovered from losing Australian centre Tim Horan and England flanker Richard Hill through injury in the first half.

Bath's backs, with fly-half Mike Catt causing mayhem through his incisive running, were comfortably a class above their Saracens counterparts.

And with the Bath forwards relishing a physical battle up-front, Saracens were predictably undone and their season is now in serious danger of fizzling out completely.

Bath moved level with them on 40 points, still 10 behind league leaders and Premiership champions-elect Leicester, who now have a game in hand on the three clubs immediately below them following the postponement of their clash against Sale today.

A snow-covered pitch was only given a final all-clear at Watford 50 minutes before kick-off, and only then following close inspection by Bath coach Jon Callard.

Although under-soil heating had been on for four days, a white top layer contained icy fragments which initially concerned Callard and his team.

Saracens' backroom staff spent an hour before kick-off sweeping snow away, and Bath displayed a far healthier appetite for the tricky conditions than their hosts.

The visitors made a dream start, storming ahead in the third minute when strong-running Tindall blasted through Horan's attempted tackle to touch down.

Double World Cup winner Horan was left on the ground for several seconds, requiring treatment before eventually leaving the field in groggy fashion midway through the first half.

Tindall added a second touch down on 13 minutes, Catt having caused panic through a slashing break, and Saracens' afternoon went from bad to worse when Hill limped off just after scoring the home side's solitary try.

Bath, who saw prop John Mallett sin-binned for pulling down a maul, led 14-8 at the break, and they went on to record a victory every bit as emphatic as the scoreline sounds.

Saracens lost hooker Robbie Russell to the sin-bin midway through a one-sided second period, and although centre Kevin Sorrell kicked a second penalty for Bracken's side, the closing quarter belonged exclusively to Bath.

Balshaw, who spent much of a freezing afternoon waiting patiently for possession to come his way on Bath's right wing, took the one chance that presented itself in devastating fashion.

Saracens left the defensive door ajar, and Balshaw smashed through it without anyone laying a finger on him.

Bath substitute Nathan Thomas was sin-binned in stoppage time, but Bath were not to be denied a bonus point as they went flat out for a fourth touchdown.

It duly arrived with the games' final piece of action, Long galloping clear from 30 metres out as Bracken could only watch his blunder being severely punished.

Perry's conversion completed a thoroughly satisfying afternoon's work for the visitors, but the vast majority of an 11,000-strong crowd were once again left scratching their heads about why a season that promised so much for Saracens has brutally failed to deliver.

Teams:

Saracens:

Tries: Hill.

Pens: Sorrell 2.

Saracens: Sparg, Shanklin, Horan, Sorrell, Luger, Walshe, Bracken, Flatman, Russell, Wallace, Roche, Murray, Chesney, Hill, Diprose.

Replacements: Haughton for Horan (16), Iwabuchi for Walshe (77), Cheesebrough for Hill (29).

Not Used: Cairns, White, Hooper, Johnston.

Bath:

Tries: Tindall 2, Balshaw, Long.

Cons: Perry 4.

Pens: Perry.

Bath: Perry, Balshaw, Maggs, Tindall, Thirlby, Catt, Cooper, Emms, Long, Mallett, Haag, Borthwick, G. Thomas, Clarke, Lyle.

Replacements: Voyce for Thirlby (47), Berne for Emms (71), Barnes for Lyle (19).

Not Used: Preston, Regan, N. Thomas, Lloyd.

Att: 11,193

Ref: John Barnard (RFU).