Saracens kept in touch with Aviva Premiership leaders Harlequins by claiming a comfortable 25-5 victory over Newcastle at Vicarage Road.

Tries from Joe Maddock, Alex Goode and James Short helped Saracens

make it five wins in a row against the Falcons.

Newcastle headed into the match on the back of a morale-boosting first victory of the season over Wasps, while Saracens were fresh from a narrow win against Exeter.

There was little to pick between the sides during a tight opening ten minutes, but it was Sarries who would head in at the break on top.

On 15 minutes Joe Maddock scored the first points of the game and his first try for Saracens when he crossed out wide following enterprising play from the hosts. Charlie Hodgson missed the difficult conversion.

Barely two minutes later Newcastle were back on level terms through a Luke Fielden try, which was also too far out for last week's hero with the boot, Jimmy Gopperth, to convert.

That would be as close as the visitors would get to recording a second win in as many weeks, as Sarries added 13 more points before half-time.

Two Hodgson penalties edged them ahead, before Alex Goode sneaked over the line out wide. Hodgson was this time successful with the conversion.

It took five minutes following the restart for Saracens to put the game beyond Newcastle, and they did so in spectacular style. James Short showed excellent pace to beat the Falcons cover and touch down.

Hodgson's conversion made it 25-5 and there'd be no way back into the contest for the visitors in the final exchanges as the home defence held strong.

Saracens: Sarcens: 15 Alex Goode, 14 Joe Maddock, 13 Owen Farrell, 12 Brad Barritt, 11 James Short, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Ernst Joubert, 7 Andy Saull, 6 Jackson Wray, 5 George Kruis, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Carlos Nieto, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Deon Carstens

Replacements: 16 Jamie George, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Mako Vunipola, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 Justin Melck, 21 Ben Spencer, 22 Adam Powell, 23 David Strettle

Newcastle Falcons: 15 Greg Goosen, 14 Luke Fielden, 13 Corne Uys, 12 Jamie Helleur, 11 Ryan Shortland, 10 Jimmy Gopperth (c), 9 Chris Pilgrim, 8 Ally Hogg, 7 Will Welch, 6 Richard Mayhew, 5 Glen Townson, 4 Tim Swinson, 3 James Hall, 2 Joe Graham, 1 Grant Shiells
Replacements: 16 Michael Mayhew, 17 Darren Fearn, 18 Ashley Wells, 19 Glen Townson, 20 Mark Wilson, 21 Will Chudley, 22 Luke Eves, 23 Alex Tait.

Referee: Luke Pearce