De Beer fails to rescue disappointing Saracens

Saracens 15 Pontypridd 17

Saracens' season was dealt a severe blow as they succumbed to Pontypridd in the Parker Pen Shield at Vicarage Road yesterday, but they could have won the quarter-final right at the end. Their fly-half, Jannie de Beer, who had been successful with five previous kick, hit the post with a penalty in the third minute of injury time.

The defeat was Saracens' second quarter-final defeat in two weeks – they were knocked out of the PowerGen Cup by Northampton a week ago.

"We deserved to lose the game," the Sarries chief executive Francois Pienaar said. "They were far more aggressive and played the game tactically better than us. We made so many errors, turning the ball over four or five times close to their line.

"It is very disappointing especially the way they scored their second try. They put a lot of pressure on us and we suffered."

Saracens tested Pontypridd's defence early on, but they survived the early onslaught. De Beer and Pontypridd's Brett Davey exchanged penalties with De Beer then adding a second.

Pontypridd scored the first try just before the break after their centre Jon Bryant made progress upfield, the No 8 Michael Owen ending the move with the help of Pontypridd's captain Paul John. Davey easily converted to give the Welsh side a 10-6 lead at half-time.

De Beer, the former South Africa international, turned the score around with three penalties. But again Pontypridd bounced back with a superb try by the winger Gareth Wyatt. Bryant charged over the gain line with the fly-half Ceri Sweeney taking the move on and Wyatt was left to dart through and fend off three defenders to score. Davey's conversion prove to be winning margin when De Beer failed with his effort.

Saracens: Penalties De Beer 5. Pontypridd: Tries Owen, Wyatt; Conversions Davey 2; Penalty Davey.

Saracens: T Horan; G Arasa, T Shanklin, K Sorrell (A Winnan, 51), D O'Mahony; J De Beer, K Bracken (N Walshe, 64); D Flatman (M Cairns, 79), R Russell, P Durant, S Hooper (K Roche, 51), S Murray, K Chesney, T Roques, R Hill.

Pontypridd: B Davey; G Wyatt, S Parker, J Bryant, N Simpson; C Sweeney, P John; G Jenkins, M Davies, D Bell, B Cockbain (G Remnant, 57), R Sidoli, N Kelly (D McIntosh, 53), R Parks, M Owen.

Referee: A Rolland (Ireland).