Defiant Saracens hold on to beat Lyon

Premiership leaders Saracens withstood a strong Lyon finish to secure their second Heineken Champions Cup victory despite being reduced to 14 men.

Sean Maitland's try and Own Farrell's boot gave Sarries an eight-point lead.

Replacement prop Alec Cleary was sent off for a high tackle with 13 minutes left but Saracens held on.

With two matches to go in the group stage, three-time champions Saracens look well set to qualify for the knockout stages.

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After an early Farrell penalty, Saracens' first try came when Theo McFarland took clean line-out ball, the pack drove and hooker George dived over the line.

Then following sustained pressure, Farrell's well-timed pass gave Earl the space to stroll through a gap in Lyon's defence and touch down.

Lyon, who made sweeping changes to their team following defeat by South African side Bulls last week, responded with a sweeping move that ended with prop Hamza Kaabeche crashing over.

With the crowd now in full voice, Lyon caught Saracens out at a line-out, moved the ball sharply from one side to the other before finding the unlikely figure of Kaabeche all alone on the left wing to score in the corner.

Fletcher Smith took advantage of some loose Saracens play to put his side into the lead with a try at the start of the second half.

But Alex Lozowski's break from his own 22 and George's intelligent kick found Maitland on the wing and he had the pace to touch down.

Farrell's conversion and another penalty moments later gave Saracens a vital cushion which they needed after their lead was cut to five and Clarey was shown a red card for a high tackle on Arno Botha.

The visitors brought all their experience to the fore and finally ended Lyon's hopes with Elliot Daly's long-distance penalty.

Line-ups

Lyon: Tchaptchet; Mignot, Regard, Godwin, Veredamu, Smith, Couilloud; Kaabeche, Charcosset, Gomez-Kodela, Lambey, Mayanavanua, William, Guillard, Taufua (capt).

Replacements: Marchand, Rey, Tafili, Goujon, Botha, Pelissie, Doussain, Parisien.

Saracens: Daly; Lewington, Lozowski, Tompkins, Maitland; Farrell (capt), Van Zyl; M Vunipola, George, Riccioni, Hunter-Hill, Tizard, McFarland, Earl, B Vunipola.

Replacements: Woolstencroft, Mawi, Clarey, Wray, Christie, Davies, Goode, Malins.

Red card: Clarey

Match officials

Referee: Frank Murphy (Ireland).

Touch judges: Eoghan Cross and Paul Haycock (both Ireland).

TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland).

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