To see pictures of the game click here.

Charlie Hodgson scored all of his side’s points to inspire Saracens to victory at the Kassam Stadium, but they had to withstand a late London Welsh fight back which fell agonisingly short.

With nine minutes remaining and Saracens pressing to add to their 25-13 lead, the Exiles would no doubt have happily accepted a losing bonus point had it being offered to them.

In the end, however, the home side were left to rue how close they’d come to claiming a third league win of the season and taking another huge step towards Premiership survival.

Phil MacKenzie hacked on to give Welsh the early lead but Hodgson’s penalty and converted try edged the visitors in front.

Hodgson added three more penalties before the half was out with Gavin Henson replying with two of his own to leave Saracens leading 19-13 at the break.

Penalties five and six for Hodgson turned the screw further on Welsh, but a Henson penalty was followed by an excellent try from Tom Arscott. Henson’s conversion left just two points between the sides, only for Hodgson’s seventh penalty to leave the home side needing a converted try to snatch victory.

They came close to grabbing it, though, in the game’s dying moments, scrummaging two late penalties, only for time to run out with the Exiles seemingly poised to produce a fairytale finish.

Keen to bounce back from their defeat to Gloucester, losing captain Jonathan Mills to a fourth minute yellow card wasn’t part of the plan. Mills binned for going through a Saracens lineout.

But it was the home side that struck. A loose pass was hacked on by MacKenzie and the Canadian international sprinted clear to score. Gavin Henson added the extras.

The Exiles might have extended the lead further, but Henson’s attempt from inside his own half dipped underneath the crossbar.

Hodgson saw his first penalty come back off the post, but although Mills would return to the field with the Exiles not having conceded in his absence, he would do so just as Hodgson teed up his next attempt from in front of the posts. He wouldn’t miss.

Welsh were struggling to get their hands on the ball and Saracens made their early dominance tell when Hodgson darted through a gap to score. The number ten added converted his own try and then added a penalty.

Henson replied immediately for Welsh but the penalty count against the home side was rising and Hodgson struck twice more to extend the away side’s lead to 19-10. A late Henson riposte ensured Welsh remained within touching distance.

A scrappy start to the second half was almost brought to an abrupt end by a third try for Saracens. Welsh never quite managed to repair the damage following James Short’s initial break, but were given a let off as Andy Saull dropped the ball as he went over the line.

Two further strikes from Hodgson edged Saracens into a 25-13 lead and the game seemed to be slipping away from Welsh. Henson replied with his third penalty but Saracens were playing the percentage game, and doing it well.

Welsh did well to escape a sustained period of pressure on their own line, and indeed threatened after breaking through Seb Jewell, but MacKenzie’s pass couldn’t find Ed Jackson.

It signified a momentum shift, though, and indeed it seemed inconceivable that despite an indifferent display from the home side the game would peter out without Welsh conjuring a late rally.

They did just that with six minutes remaining. Henson’s floated miss pass released Nick Scott and the winger combined with MacKenzie to send Arscott over.

Henson converted and Welsh had victory in their sights. Crucially, however, the Exiles conceded a penalty at the restart and Hodgson did the rest. That left Welsh needing a converted try and late pressure yielded two penalties, which the home side opted to scrum.

To no avail. When the scrum collapsed referee Luke Pearce blew for full-time to leave Welsh frustrated.

London Welsh:
Tries: MacKenzie, Arscott; Cons: Henson (2); Pens: Henson (3).

Saracens: 
Tries: Hodgson; Cons: Hodgson; Pens: Hodgson (7).

Half-time: 13-19
Referee: Luke Pearce
Referee Assistants: Paul Dix & Nigel Carrick

Full-time: London Welsh 23-28 Saracens

The scrum goes down again, but it's not a penalty and that signifies the end of the game....brave effort from Welsh 

80min: The clock is on zero....Welsh have another penalty...they scrum it....five metres short!! Another penalty to Welsh....another scrum...

79min: Welsh penalty in the Saracens 22....Welsh go for the scrum! What drama here

76min: PEN London Welsh 23-28 Saracens (Hodgson)

74min: CON London Welsh 23-25 Saracens (Henson)

74min: TRY London Welsh 21-25 Saracens (Arscott)

Brilliant floated pass by Henson and Scott is away. He finds MacKenzie and he sends Arscott over! Game on!

71min: Welsh do well to esape from just on their own line and break through Seb Jewell. They create an overlap down the right but MacKenzie's pass can't find Jackson

68min: Saracens just playing the percentage game here, kicking the corners and Welsh making too many errors

63min: De Kock thinks he's over, as he snuck down the blindside, but he jsut out a foot in touch

61min: PEN London Welsh 16-25 Saracens (Henson)

59min: PEN London Welsh 13-25 Saracens (Hodgson)

55min: PEN London Welsh 13-22 Saracens (Hodgson)

51min: Jackson picks up from the scrum and makes good yards, he then feeds Scott to sprint up the wing. Saracens get back though

50min: Huge let off for Welsh. From Short's initial line break, Saracens make good progress until Saull drops the ball as he's about to go over the line

48min: No real pattern to this second half yet, but Welsh seeing more of the ball

46min: Brilliant one handed catch by Arscott....net result is a Welsh lineout in Saracens half 

44min: Welsh get the penalty....Henson to touch

43min: A scrappy passage of play ends with a Welsh scrum in their own half

42min: Nice play by Keats to go back and tidy up

3:16pm: Henson gets the second half started

Half-time: London Welsh 13-19 Saracens

39min: PEN London Welsh 13-19 Saracens (Henson)

39min: Penalty to Welsh....Henson for posts

37min: PEN London Welsh 10-19 Saracens (Hodgson)

This time Welsh not releasing in the tackle

33min: PEN London Welsh 10-16 Saracens (Hodgson)

Penalty at a scrum and it's dead in front

29min: Penalty to Welsh at the scrum....Henson makes a good touch

29min: Good defence by Welsh and Saracens knock on....scrum Welsh

28min: Penalty to Saracens as the action switches to the other end.....Hodgson to touch, when it was kickable!

26min: PEN London Welsh 10-13 Saracens (Henson)

24min: PEN London Welsh 7-13 Saracens (Hodgson)

23min: Penalty to Saracens at the scrum and Hodgson goes for the posts 

22min:Knock on by Welsh in midfield, Saracens scrum

20min: Welsh need to get their hands on the ball and get some territory....they have a penalty and Henson takes play into the Saracens half 

19min: CON London Welsh 7-10 Saracens (Hodgson)

18min: TRY London Welsh 7-8 Saracens (Hodgson)

17min: Welsh have hardly touched the ball so far and off goes the Saracens maul again

15min: PEN London Welsh 7-3 Saracens (Hodgson)

14min: Good phases by Saracens...and they get another penalty bang in front....Mills back on for Welsh

13min: It's off the post....and Henson clears to touch

12min: Penalty to Saracens on half this time....Hodgson fancies a go at it.... 

10min: Henson penalty from his own half......just short!

8min: CON London Welsh 7-0 Saracens (Henson)

7min: TRY London Welsh 5-0 Saracens (MacKenzie)

Loose pass in midfield. MacKenzie hacks on and gets a good bounce and he's over!

5min: Saracens opt for the scrum, but there's a little knock on by them

4min: Yellow card Jonathan Mills (London Welsh)

The Welsh skipper sees red for driving through the lineout.

3min: Saracens lineout just outside Welsh 22....they get a good drive going and they have the penalty....they kick to the corner 

2min: Early scare for Welsh as MacKenzie goes back into his 22, but his pass goes loose. Welsh get a penalty though....Henson to touch

2:15pm: Charlie Hodgson/Owen Farrell gets this Round 6 Aviva Premiership fixture underway

2.14pm: Now here comes the home side, led by captain Jonathan Mills

2:14pm: Steve Borthwick leads out today's visitors Saracens

2:05pm: Team news

The big team news out of the London Welsh camp this week was that Gavin Henson makes his first Aviva Premiership start for London Welsh this afternoon.

It will be Henson’s first appearance for the Exiles since he suffered a minor fracture to his cheekbone during London Welsh’s pre-season fixture against the Scarlets on August 25.

Henson, who replaces Gordon Ross at number ten, is one of six changes made by head coach Lyn Jones to the starting line up which went down 31-25 to Gloucester at the Kassam on Sunday.

Hooker Dan George and centre James Lewis replace Neil Briggs and Sonny Parker, who both picked up injuries against Gloucester. A key member of Welsh’s Championship winning team last season, Lewis will be making his Premiership debut on Sunday.

Canadian international Phil Mackenzie comes in on the ring wing, with Tom Arscott reverting to full back and Seb Jewell named on the bench.

Mike Denbee returns to the side following the injury he sustained against Exeter Chiefs and replaces Michael Hills at openside flanker.

For Saracens, Charlie Hodgson, David Strettle and James Short all return to the backline. With Alex Goode, Brad Barritt and Chris Ashton among those rested on rotation, Strettle will make his first start of the season and Owen Farrell will switch to inside centre with Hodgson named at fly-half.

In the forwards, John Smit starts at hooker with second row George Kruis and flanker Andy Saull both getting their first run ous of the season. On the bench, flanker Nick Fenton-Wells could make his Saracens debut while Kameli Ratuvou is also in line for his first appearance of the season.

LONDON WELSH: 15.Tom Arscott, 14, Phil MacKenzie, 13. James Lewis, 12. Hudson Tonga’uiha, 11. Nick Scott, 10. Gavin Henson, 9. Tyson Keats, 1. Frank Montanella, 2. Dan George, 3. Paulica Ion, 4 Jonathan Mills ©, 5. Matt Corker, 6. Daniel Browne, 7. Mike Denbee, 8. Ed Jackson.

Replacements: 16. Greg Bateman, 17. Tom Bristow, 18. Arthur Joly, 19. Kirill Kulemin, Alfie To’oala, 21. Nick Runciman, 22. Ryan Davis, 23. Seb Jewell.
  
SARACENS: 15. Chris Wyles, 14. David Strettle, 13. Joel Tomkins, 12. Owen Farrell, 11. James Short, 10. Charlie Hodgson, 9. Richard Wigglesworth, 1. Rhys Gill, 2. John Smit, 3. Matt Stevens, 4. Steve Borthwick ©, 5. George Kruis, 6.  Will Fraser, 7. Andy Saull, 8. Jackson Wray.

Replacements: 16. Jamie George, 17. Mako Vuniploa, 18. Petrus du Plessis, 19. Mouritz Botha, 20. Nick Fenton-Wells, 21. Neil De Kock, 22. Karmeli Ratuvou, 23. Duncan Taylor.

Match officials
Referee: Luke Pearce
Assistant referees: Paul Dix & Nigel Carrick

2pm: Another week in the Aviva Premiership, another huge but exciting challenge for London Welsh, and today it's the visit of 2010/11 champions Saracens to the Kassam Stadium.

Lyn Jones's side will be keen to get back to winning ways, following last week's home defeat at the hands of Gloucester, but Mark McCall's side arrive in confident mood having taken the scalp of current champions
Harlequins in Round 5.

London Welsh and Saracens last met in a pre-season friendly in August 2009 at Old Albanians. Saracens running out 24-16 winners.

London Welsh V Saracens
Aviva Premiership
sunday 7th October, 2012
Live updates from the Kassam Stadium

London Welsh: Tom Arscott, Phil MacKenzie, James Lewis, Hudson Tonga’uiha, Nick Scott, Gavin Henson, Tyson Keats, Franck Montanella, Dan George, Paulica Ion, Matt Corker, Jonathan Mills ©, Daniel Browne, Mike Denbee, Ed Jackson.

Replacements: Greg Bateman for George (50mins), Kirill Kulemin for Browne (59mins), Seb Jewell for Tonga’uiha (63mins), Alfie To’oala for Denbee (65mins), Tom Bristow for Montanella (71mins), Arthur Joly for Ion (72mins).

Replacements not used: Runciman, Nick Ryan Davis.

Yellow cards: Jonathan Mills (4min).

Saracens: Chris Wyles, David Strettle, Joel Tomkins, Owen Farrell, James Short, Charlie Hodgson, Richard Wigglesworth, Rhys Gill, John Smit, Matt Stevens, Steve Borthwick ©, George Kruis, Will Fraser, Andy Saull, Jackson Wray.

Replacements: Mako Vunipola for Gill (48mins), Neil De Kock for Wigglesworth (52mins), Jamie George for Smit (59mins), Kameli Ratuvou for Tomkins (59mins), Nick Fenton-Wells for Saull (60mins), Petrus De Plessis for Stevens (63mins), Mouritz Botha for Borthwick (71mins), Duncan Taylor for Short (71mins).