England's forgotten man Ben Johnston grabbed two tries as Saracens made an impressive statement of their intent to push for an end of season play-off place by demolishing Zurich Premiership rivals Sale at Vicarage Road.

Johnston, capped twice in the centre under Clive Woodward, touched down in each half with Tevita Vaikona's score, a penalty try and 12 points from the boot of Glen Jackson completing the victory.

Sale replied with a late Dean Schofield score and a conversion and four penalties from American fly-half Mike Hercus.

But the Sharks' season appears to be stuttering - while Saracens are accelerating up the Premiership table in pursuit of a top three place and a tilt at the title.

This was their fifth win in six league games and they climbed above Gloucester into fifth place, behind Bath only on points difference.

Admittedly Sale were hit harder by their international commitments and injuries, with England hat-trick hero Mark Cueto and Andy Titterrell involved against Italy yesterday and captain Jason Robinson recovering from a hand injury.

Saracens made only two changes - Matt Cairns starting at hooker and Iain Fullarton in the second row - and had Dan Scarbrough back on the bench after four months recovering from shoulder surgery.

Their former Bath prop Kevin Yates was making his 100th Premiership appearance his chances of celebrating with a victory were never seriously threatened by a side without a win at Vicarage Road in 11 attempts.

Tongan winger Vaikona started the procession as early as the ninth minute when he blasted through Steve Hanley's tackle and streaked in down the right from 30 metres with Jackson supplying the conversion.

Jackson and Hercus added two penalties apiece as Sale clung on for the first half-hour - although the Saracens fly-half was guilty of squandering three straightforward chances.

The misses did not matter, though, after Taine Randell's rampaging run down the left gave Mark Bartholomeusz the chance to put Johnston away under the posts.

And the Sharks were dead in the water when they went 27-6 down at the break after Dean Schofield was sin-binned for pulling down a driving maul.

Their seven-man pack could not repel a stronger Saracens eight and referee Sean Davey awarded a penalty try against the visitors after they collapsed a series of scrums on their own line.

Hercus drilled over his third penalty immediately after the interval as Sale started the second-half brightly by kicking for territory and releasing France number eight Sebastien Chabal to hammer his way up the middle.

They were incensed by a controversial call from Davey in the 54th minute that denied them what looked like a perfectly good score.

Schofield rode a tackle, drove for the line and stretched out a long arm to touch down, only for the referee to rule he had lost control of the ball.

That might have made a game of it but all Sale could add was a fourth Hercus penalty before Johnston's second try sealed it 15 minutes from time.

Jackson looked like he was going nowhere as a Saracens attack broke down, only to backtrack and slide a diagonal kick behind the defence which Johnston regathered to score.

Schofield finally got the try he deserved when he peeled away from a lineout and strode through some soft defending and Hercus converted 10 minutes from time.

But Saracens snuffed out any chances of a Sale comeback and are now perfectly place to continue their run up the rails for a top-three finish.