BRISTOL equalled their poorest start to a season after losing an error-strewn clash with Saracens last night.

Bristol – who have not won at home since February – lost five in a row in the 2002-03 relegation season before beating Leicester in their sixth Premiership clash.

But head coach Richard Hill has a long wait before trying to lift Bristol for their next league clash, at home to Northampton in the middle of November.

The Premiership bottom club now visit the Saints on Saturday in the EDF Energy Cup, before playing the same opposition twice in the European Challenge Cup in December.

Bristol did collect a losing bonus point – their second of the campaign – but were left to rue four missed penalties.

Bristol made three changes to the side that lost 17-3 at Newcastle on Friday, recalling forwards Mariano Sambucetti and Alfie To'oala, while fly-half Adrian Jarvis returned after a knee injury.

Saracens were without former New Zealand international Chris Jack, who damaged his shoulder in their hard-fought victory over Northampton on Saturday.

Bristol squandered two good opportunities in the opening 10 minutes.

Jarvis released wing Tom Arscott with an inside pass then, in another move, full-back Luke Arscott was pulled down 10 metres short following swift handling by the backs – but on both occasions the hosts were let down by handling errors.

Bristol did well to withstand a period of concerted pressure from the visitors with good defence from centre Neil Brew forcing Kameli Ratuvou to spill the ball.

But, from the resulting scrum, Bristol gifted the ball back to their opponents and Saracens were quick to strike.

No 8 Michael Owen picked up from scrum, Glen Jackson looped around Adam Powell and Ratuvou had a simple touchdown out wide on 21 minutes.

But Bristol hit back five minutes later when, from an Ed Barnes short pass, winger David Lemi popped up in midfield and dived over just to the left of the posts. Jarvis converted for a 7-5 lead.

Jarvis hit a 30th minute penalty to extend Bristol's lead to 10-5 but that was cancelled out by a Jackson effort two minutes later.

Bristol had a lucky escape on 35 minutes when Hugh Vyvyan couldn't hang on to a Ratuvou pass five metres from the try-line with no Bristol defenders in sight.

But the hosts, who were struggling in the scrum, were penalised at the set-piece and Jackson kicked the three points to reclaim the lead.

Bristol could have gone into the break ahead but Jarvis missed a 40th-minute penalty, and prop Alex Clarke knocked on with the clock on zero.

With their scrum creaking under pressure early in the second half, Bristol lost their first two line-outs in their own 22 before Jackson landed his third penalty of the night on 44 minutes.

Jarvis was off-target again on 49 and 52 minutes before bizarrely running the ball into touch metres from his own line, to the amazement of everyone in the Memorial Stadium.

Jackson made Jarvis pay when he landed a 55th-minute penalty to extend Saracens' lead to 17-10.

No 8 Dan Ward-Smith was replaced five minutes later by Andrew Blowers after injuring his right knee.

Jackson made it 20-10 with a penalty on 62 minutes. Then in another bizarre passage of play, Bristol captain Joe El Abd passed to a team-mate who was stood two metres in front of him. To say these were schoolboy errors would be an injustice to schoolboys.

Bristol's woes in front of goal continued when Barnes, who had taken over kicking duties, was off-target with a penalty 40 metres out – it was Bristol's fourth miss in a row.

The visitors were reduced to 14 men when flanker Ben Skirving was yellow-carded for a professional foul and, from the resulting penalty, Barnes was on target to make it 20-13 with just over 10 minutes to go.

But Jackson put Saracens 10 points clear on 74 minutes when he landed a drop goal.

Barnes slotted a penalty to make it 23-16, but Bristol could not make their player advantage count.

Bristol: L Arscott; T Arscott, N Brew, E Barnes, D Lemi; A Jarvis, G Beveridge; A Clarke, S Linklater, J Hobson (P Bracken 63), M Sambucetti (R Sidoli 60), N Budgett, A To'oala, J El-Abd (capt), D Ward-Smith (A Blowers 60). Reps not used: D Blaney, H Thomas, L Eves, G Barden.

Scorers: Tries – Lemi. Cons – Jarvis. Pens – Jarvis, Barnes 2.

Saracens: R Haughton (M Rauluni 41); R Penney, K Sorrell, A Powell (C Wyles 27), K Ratuvou; G Jackson, N de Kock (M Rauluni 41); M Aguero, F Ongaro (M Cairns 67), C Johnstone, S Borthwick (capt), H Vyvyan (K Chesney 73), B Skirving, A Saull (D Barrell 78), M Owen. Rep not used: G Ross

Scorers: Tries – Ratuvou. Pens: Jackson 5. Drop goal – Jackson.

Referee: T Wigglesworth (Yorkshire). Att: 7,250