TOP 100 SPORT SITES
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| London Irish 23-19 Saracens London Irish 23-19 SaracensLondon Irish ended Saracens' unbeaten Premiership record in a highly competitive top-of-the-table battle at the Madejski Stadium.The visitors led until 10 minutes from the end, despite wasting opportunities to extend their six-point advantage by attempting failed drop-goals. Elvis Seveali'i darted over to punish them and put the hosts ahead for the first time in the match, with Chris Malone making no mistake from the conversion.Saracens took the early lead at the Madejski, Alex Goode drilling over a long-range drop-goal with two minutes on the clock. They increased their advantage in the ninth minute when Irish scrum-half Alfredo Lalanne saw his attempted clearance kick from a five-metre lineout charged down by Hugh Vyvyan. Justin Melch scooped up the rebound and crossed the line, and Glen Jackson's conversion gave Saracens a 10-0 lead.Soon after Irish put together a five-pass attack up the middle that finished with Steffon Armitage sending Chris Hala'ufia between the posts, a try converted by Malone.Saracens weathered a small storm before increasing their lead on 22 minutes with a Jackson penalty, awarded because Irish were caught offside in numbers by referee Dean Richards.The official found Saracens guilty of an identical offence within two minutes as Irish swarmed around their 22, and Malone reduced the deficit to three points. Jackson, however, made Irish pay for indiscipline at a 29th-minute breakdown when he converted another penalty from wide on the right. Irish had an opportunity to reduce the gap again on 36 minutes after Vyvyan was penalised for pulling down in a lineout. But this time Malone's penalty attempt drifted wide of the near post.Irish took the initiative at the start of the second half, and their pressure earned another penalty after 43 minutes. But Malone was again off target, his second miss out of four kicks at goal.But Irish kept pressing, earning two further penalties. The first was driven into touch by Malone to set up an attacking platform, and Saracens were forced to go offside again to prevent serious damage. This time Malone made no mistake with his strike in the 47th minute.Jackson, however, regained his side's six-point gap just two minutes later with a fine penalty strike from wide on the right. He had the chance to give his team the cushion of a two-score lead on 55 minutes, but the angle this time proved too acute and his attempt from out on the left faded outside the near post.Irish were throwing everything into their attacks and tempers flared when the Saracens' defence refused to buckle. The referee had to break up two scuffles, which only served to fire up the crowd.Saracens then drove upfield and had their hosts on the back foot but, for the second time in the game, they elected to go for a drop-goal that failed.Having pinned Irish back for fully seven minutes, Saracens conceded a penalty at the breakdown and left the home half without a point to show for all their pressure. Then an attempted Saracens interception was adjudged to be a deliberate knock-on and Malone set up a fierce finale with a penalty goal on 66 minutes.Irish took the lead for the first time on 70 minutes. For once, the Saracens defence failed to slam the door as Seveali'i burst between three failed tackles to score on the left, and Malone added the extra points.Guinness PremiershipLondon IrishSaracensRugby unionguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2009 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
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