It was a real old fashioned arm wrestle with Saracens a completely different outfit to the one that capitulated so dramatically here a fortnight ago.

In fact, Gloucester had to dig deep and come from behind to win with Saracens in particular depriving Bryan Redpath's side of any possession at all of note in the first half.

However, a key error from Saracens' Kameli Ratuvou proved to be the turning point as the centre's knock on in midfield led to a turnover and Charlie Sharples finished in style to give Gloucester a lead that they wouldn't relinquish.

The game still went down to the wire as Gloucester were forced to defend their own line desperately in the final couple of minutes with the visitors refusing steadfastly to give up the ghost but dogged defence just won the day.

The win keeps Gloucester on fourth place in the table having overtaken today's opponents with a Friday night trip to Sale next week beckoning.

The Cherry and Whites began the game poorly with a misjudged kick off into touch from the boot of Nicky Robinson and spent much of the next 10 minutes trying to get the ball back.

Seven minutes in, Gloucester had a scrum deep within their own half reversed after Dave Lewis was caught feeding, but an inspired shove from the Gloucester pack won back possession.

Lewis was penalised again a minute later after kicking the ball out of a Saracens ruck, leaving it to Owen Farrell to slot the subsequent penalty from just outside the Gloucester 22 to give Saracens a 3-0 lead.

Saracens looked a different side from the one that had come to Kingsholm a fortnight ago, with a number of well-judged kicks into the corner from Farrell troubling the Gloucester defence.

Farrell was dictating the Saracens attack well with fluent long passes that forced a strong effort from the home side's defence.

Gloucester tackled tirelessly and the pack dug deep at the set piece to push the advancing Saracens forwards back.

Having barely touched the ball all game, Gloucester made things harder for themselves when Alex Brown was sinbinned on 20 minutes for a late tackle.

Farrell kicked the ensuing penalty into the Gloucester corner and from there Saracens began a number of phases of attack.

Saracens moved the ball well and it found its way to winger James Short out wide on the left who looked to have nowhere to go but shrugged off Charlie Sharples to score in the corner. Farrell then added the two points from out wide to give Saracens a 10-0 lead.

Gloucester finally troubled the scoreboard on 25 minutes with a Nicky Robinson penalty kick right in front of the Saracens post to leave Gloucester trailing 10-3.

This was promptly cancelled out three minutes later when Gloucester conceded a penalty at a scrum, gifting three easy points to Farrell who kicked the penalty from just right of the home side's posts.

Gloucester finally showed some attacking flair with ten minutes of the first half to go. James Simpson-Daniel showing some of his trademark weaving runs and Fuimano-Sapolu looking confident in attack.

Gloucester began to move the ball well from side to side and Saracens soon began to concede penalties in defence. On 34 minutes Robinson landed a penalty kick to bring Gloucester back into the game at 13-6.

Gloucester then turned down a kickable penalty in favour of kicking for the corner but were driven back by superb Saracens defence and one could only wonder how important that decision would be.

And, quickly after the interval, three more points went begging as, having returned from the sin bin, Alex Brown was brought down in the lineout giving Nicky Robinson a penalty opportunity which he narrowly missed.

This was corrected on 50 minutes when the fly-half capitalised on a Saracens offside, successfully kicking the penalty to leave Gloucester trailing at 13-9.

Fifteen minutes into the second half, Redpath began to reshuffle the side bringing on Henry Trinder for Tim Molenaar and Scott Lawson for Olivier Azam.

Two minutes later, James Simpson-Daniel made a dangerous break down the right touchline but his inside pass was intercepted at the crucial point by the covering James Short.

However, just as it looked as though an afternoon of frustration beckoned for Gloucester, Ratuvou's error opened things up for Sharples.

The Fijian compounded his error by dropping his knees into Sharples as the Gloucester winger touched down spectacularly and a mass brawl threatened to spill over. The crowd bayed for a yellow card but Ratuvou's punishment was to be stretchered off having hurt himself in the incident.

The speeding Henry Trinder almost put Freddie Burns in for the killer score but, after some close range pressure, Robinson landed another penalty to extend Gloucester's lead to 19-13 on 70 minutes.

In the remaining ten minutes Gloucester soaked up a fierce onslaught from Saracens, displaying steadfast defence throughout.

On 75 minutes, further changes were wrung as Matt Cox replaced an injured Andy Hazell and Pierre Capdeville replaced Paul Doran-Jones.

The final five minutes were played out in high drama as Gloucester endured phase upon phase of Saracen attacks deep within their 22.

Outstanding commitment and pressure from the home side forced an eventual knockon in the Saracens midfield from the previously outstanding Brad Barritt, sparking jubilant celebrations as the referee blew the final whistle on a memorable Gloucester win.