No one in north London could quite believe Owen Farrell missing 13 points from the tee amid perfect, crisp conditions against Bristol.
No one at StoneX Stadium was left in any doubt on Saracens’ Gallagher Premiership supremacy however, as the defending champions racked up a fifth-straight victory.
Farrell’s curiously off-kilter goal-kicking meant that Saracens had to see off a spirited Bristol side the hard way – by powering in seven tries for their 39-31 win.
Saracens lost their first two matches of the league campaign, but have raced up the league ever since, and now sit second in the table.
Add Farrell’s spurned points from the tee, and this triumph would have had a fairer reflection of Sarries’ overall dominance as the hosts would have moved past the 50-point mark.
England captain Farrell would be the first to hold up his hand and admit that the points are only there for the taking if they are actually taken though.
And while the 32-year-old did claim a try and two conversions, he also missed a hugely surprising five conversions and one penalty.
The talismanic fly-half is due an off day more than perhaps anyone out there, but he was visibly frustrated and perplexed by his last miss at the death.
In the end two maul tries from Jamie George saw Sarries over the line, with Tom Willis sniping in as well. Alex Lewington bagged a brace of his own, with Billy Vunipola also on the scoresheet.
Farrell had started everything off with a smart try of his own, but leads of 10-0 and 15-7 fell away as Bristol took a 21-15 lead into half-time.
Saracens pulled away again at 34-24 midway through the second-half, but Farrell’s string of missed kicks meant the hosts could not inflict their usual scoreboard pressure.
The visitors pulled it back to 34-31, only for Sarries to tiptoe away at the death for another vital victory.
Bristol will have been left frustrated not to convert their patches of dominance into something more tangible. But the visitors did claim a try bonus through scores from Joe Batley, Ellis Genge, Gabriel Oghre and Kieran Marmion.
Tom Willis’ try perhaps encapsulated Farrell’s curious afternoon. The England skipper tried a snap drop-goal from Bristol’s goalline drop-out – only to be charged down.
No need to worry though, as the rebound fell straight to Theo McFarland. The pacy Samoa back-five forward raced away and set the platform for Tom Willis to power home.
And so in the end Sarries flexed enough muscle to shake off Farrell’s off-day with the boot.
The England captain was every bit as influential in his other aspects though, notably firing one fine, flat crossfield kick for Lewington’s second try. Last season Farrell suffered a frustrating goal-kicking rut due to a niggling ankle issue.
The vastly experienced playmaker kicked like a dream off the tee at the World Cup though, ending up top-scorer for the tournament and also becoming England’s record points-scorer too.
Saracens and England will hope this showing turns out to be a mere aberration, and that normal, pinpoint service can resume without delay.
