Bath's sixth straight win continued their amazing transformation since escaping relegation last season and opened up an eight-point gap at the top of the Zurich Premiership.

But their 100% record is as much due to their defensive qualities as to any new found try-scoring prowess with Ollie Barkley kicking five penalties.

Bath have conceded only one try in their last five games and Saracens seldom looked like exerting enough pressure to create any opportunities to breach the line.

Nor did Bath for much of a turgid game and it took a wayward throw from Sarries hooker Joe Ross to gift flanker Michael Lipman the game's first try just before the break.

The second Bath try came deep in stoppage time when replacement centre Alex Crockett burst through five tackles to score in the corner.

Saracens, already without first-choice hooker James Parkes with a neck injury, were forced to take the field with hamstring victim Alex Codling, leaving them an even bigger task against the league's best lineout.

Bath, who have made light of World Cup calls and injuries which have decimated their team behind the scrum, welcomed back Matt Perry at full-back and also wing Brendon Daniel, however.

Saracens had first use of a stiff wind blowing corner to corner but it was Barkley who drew first blood, landing a difficult cross-wind kick after five minutes.

Saracens fly-half Andy Goode seemed to have the elements in his favour but missed an early kick before levelling the score on nine minutes.

Barkley, who had kicked nine from nine against Rotherham last weekend, continued his impressive form with two more successful kicks from 30 metres and 45 metres while Goode was off target again with two more attempts before Lipman snatched his try. Barkley was unable to convert so Bath had to be content with a 14-3 interval lead.

The quality of rugby served up did not improve in the second half but Bath's dominance up front, particularly in the lineout ensured that Saracens, for all the efforts of Taine Randell and Simon Raiwalui in the visitors pack, could not work the opening they perhaps deserved.

It was not until the 75th minute that Saracens' resistance ended when Barkley chipped over his fourth penalty after a storming run by lock Steve Borthwick and young prop Matt Stevens.

There was still time however for Barkley to add a fifth penalty and then for Crockett to score a try out of nothing in the eighth minute of injury-time.