Full-time: Gloucester 22 Saracens 16

Olly Barkley kicked 17 points as Gloucester made a winning start to 2009 with a hard-fought victory over Saracens at Kingsholm.

The inside centre kicked five penalties and converted Olly Morgan’s early try as Gloucester claimed their ninth win in 10 matches in all competitions.

The match was given the go-ahead following a 1.45pm pitch inspection - and Gloucester made the better start.

Morgan’s sixth Guinness Premiership try of the season gave the home side the early initiative.

Richard Haughton hit back with a try for Saracens to leave the match delicately poised a minute before the break.

But when Olivier Azam kicked the ball out of a ruck in front of his own posts, Jackson made no mistake, kicking his side into a 16-13 interval lead.

Gloucester had struck first with a Barkley penalty following an offside decision, only for Jackson to respond after Adam Eustace was punished for entering a ruck from the side.

Morgan then crossed, taking Lesley Vainikolo’s pass after Mike Tindall’s break, with Barkley’s conversion making it 10-3.

A second Jackson penalty made it 10-6, before Gloucester lost Vainikolo, the winger being carried off on a stretcher with a leg injury.

Jackson’s quick thinking and accurate cross-field kick set up Haughton for Saracens’ try, which the fly-half converted for a 13-10 lead.

And when Barkley punished another Saracens offside by making it 13-13, it looked as though it would remain that way heading into the break – only for Azam’s indiscretion to allow Jackson to give the visitors the lead.

Jackson missed a penalty shortly after the break – and soon Barkley drew Gloucester level with his fourth successful kick at goal from four attempts.

He missed his fifth attempt at the sticks, though, to leave the game level at 16-16 with 22 minutes to play.

But he made no mistake five minutes later, driving the ball between the posts to make it 19-16 after Saracens had strayed offside at a line-out.

Another Barkley penalty, awarded following Noah Cato’s foolish shoulder charge on Apo Satala, gave Gloucester a six-point cushion.

Saracens’ task was made no easier when replacement back-rower Andy Saull was sin-binned for dissent after his side were penalised for killing the ball.

Gloucester: O Morgan; M Watkins, M Tindall (capt), O Barkley, L Vainikolo (M Foster 32); R Lamb, D Lewis (R Lawson 60); N Wood, O Azam, C Nieto, A Eustace, A Brown, A Strokosch, A Satala, L Narraway. Reps not used: A Titterrell, A Dickinson, M Bortolami, D Williams, W Walker.

Scorers: Try – Morgan. Con – Barkley. Pens – Barkley (5).

Saracens: A Goode; K Ratuvou (N Cato 48), K Sorrell, A Farrell (capt; A Powell 15), R Haughton; G Jackson, N de Kock (M Rauluni 60-67); M Aguero (N Lloyd 67), F Ongaro (A Kyriacou 80), T Mercey (C Visagie 63), H Vyvyan, C Jack, B Skirving, W van Heerden, M Owen (A Saull 48).

Scorers: Try – Haughton. Con – Jackson. Pens – Jackson (3).

Sin-binned: Saull (75-80, dissent).

Referee: A Small. Att: 16,500.