Even for Bath, master escapologists, the way they snatched a place in the final of the Parker Pen Challenge Cup was quite breathtaking.

They went into the fifth minute of injury time trailing Saracens by seven points on aggregate after fly-half Andy Goode had kicked a 37 metre penalty.

All seemed lost but Bath put together one final attack to send left-wing Tom Voyce over in the corner.

Even then he had the presence of mind to scramble in field five or 10 metres to leave Olly Barkley a far-from-easy conversion to tie the scores on aggregate.

Barkley's nerves held and the kick sailed between the posts to give the West Country side a 27-19 victory on the day.

It was clear however that very few people in the ground, players among them, knew just what would happen next as referee David McHugh blew the final whistle.

The rules of the competition gave Bath the right to play Wasps in the final at Reading on Sunday May 25 by virtue of having scored six tries to Saracens five over the two legs without the need to play extra time.

Bath coach Michael Foley said: "My chest was tightening a the end but I was aware that Olly's kick would put us through. I am glad it was decided on the number of tries.

"Our fans were magnificent. They scream the place down and really live it with us. I can't say enough as well about the guts within this group of players."

Bath had looked to be cruising when they led 17-3 at half time.

After Barkley and Nicky Little had exchanged penalties early on Bath skipper Danny Grewcock scored his first try for the club, powering over to finish off a move begun by Gareth Cooper and Mike Tindall. Barkley's conversion made it 10-3 on 14 minutes.

The threat of Cooper from scrum half was evidenced again on 32 minutes when he created a try for Elvis Seveali'i from a well-worked move following a line-out. The Samoan side-stepped Saracens full-back Tim Horan to score at the post and Barkley had no problem converting.

Less than two minutes after the break, however Horan's clever kick-through fashioned a try for wing Darragh O'Mahony, converted by Little, and Bath lost all shape and poise.

Barkley added a penalty but Saracens replacement fly-half Goode kicked a 53rd minute penalty and added a sweetly-struck drop goal 10 minutes later to leave the visitors just four points behind on the day and ahead on aggregate.

When he landed his second penalty deep into injury time it seemed all was lost for Bath but somehow they picked themselves up for the final and vital score.