Saracens grabbed a share of the points at the Recreation Ground but will be wondering how they did not claim victory.

Bath were under the cosh up front for most of the game and had to rely on a drop goal from debutant Michael Stevenson to edge them ahead with 15 minutes remaining.

Saracens fly-half Glen Jackson levelled the scores with an angled penalty on 78 minutes but was off target with two drop-goal attempts in injury time which would have clinched victory.

Bath were hampered again on an international weekend by the absence of their five England players but Saracens were also without France's Thomas Castaignede and Ireland hooker Shane Byrne.

After a scrappy start enlivened only by the odd ill-tempered scuffle, Saracens worked themselves into a try-scoring position from a rolling maul after 15 minutes.

When their momentum was halted Jackson fed centre Mark Bartholomeusz with a cleverly-disguised pass. The Australian was halted on the line but Bath were penalised for preventing release of the ball and Jackson opened the scoring from close range.

Bath replied almost immediately after Andy Dunne launched an up-and-under which Saracens' full-back Dan Scarbrough failed to deal with. Dunne kicked the resulting penalty when the full-back tried to correct his error and was penalised for not releasing the ball.

Saracens made light of the loss of prop Cobus Visagie to the sin-bin for stamping and Bath could only muster another Dunne penalty against the 14 men.

While Bath's lineout was creaking again Saracens were profiting from a stream of excellent possession from skipper Hugh Vyvyan at the tail.

One well-directed pass allowed Kyran Bracken to launch the back line but winger Richard Haughton flung a pass behind Scarbrough with the try-line beckoning.

Bath lost Rob Fidler to the sin-bin for a professional foul in first-half injury time and Jackson brought the visitors level at 6-6 going in at the break.

Bath were living off scraps but Saracens survived when home wing Joe Maddock snapped up a loose ball and Saracens only just held out.

Jackson edged his side ahead with his third penalty on 54 minutes as Saracens monopolised possession but could not find a gap in the home defence.

They brought on ex-rugby league wing Tevita Vaikona in an attempt to batter their way through but Bath were alive to the danger and began to play with more urgency.

Dunne kicked his third penalty on 63 minutes and Stevenson rescued a move which had broken down by landing his dropped goal which scraped the bar.

Jackson's equalising penalty after 78 minutes gave Saracens a share of the points but they could not squeeze out the victory.