THE tangled issue of European qualification became all the more clearer after this tumultuous encounter on Wednesday night at Vicarage Road.

Saracens' crucial victory means they enter Sunday's decisive clash with Bristol at Vicarage Road with fate in their own hands - win and hold on to the fourth spot required for European qualification.

Such is the intensity of the competition to finish in the top four, Saracens could not afford to lose to Northampton, who are in danger of ending the season empty-handed. If Saracens are successful in their final game and Saints succumb to Munster in the Heineken Cup Final, Saturday's Tetley's Bitter Cup Final losers will miss out on European qualification altogether.

Saints will not be helped in their cause by the loss of England internationals Matt Dawson, with a dislocated left shoulder, and Nick Beal, who was taken to the neighbouring Watford General Hospital with a broken right leg.

The setbacks did not quell Saints' desire, however, and they looked far from battle-weary in their fourth game in ten games. After Saints pulled level in the second half, Sarries had to dig deep to avoid a disastrous result and keep them on course for qualification.

As well as the battle between the two sides to secure qualification for Europe, there was also the intriguing clash between opposing scrum halves, Kyran Bracken and Saints and England skipper Dawson.

Bracken had made only four starts prior to the Saints game after being ruled out with a back injury since June. But the 28-year-old showed no signs of rust and would have done his chances of reclaiming the England number nine shirt for this summer's tour to South Africa no harm by this performance.

But the personal duel was brought to a premature end in the 35th minute when Bracken out-muscled his England rival in a tackle and Dawson emerged from beneath a bundle of players clutching his shoulder. Dawson must hope his shoulder heals in time for next month's tour.

Bracken said afterwards: 'I don't think the impact of the tackle did it, I think it was because Matt landed akwardly.'

Bracken's vision in spotting a gap on the left flank from a tap penalty in his own 22 was more imaginative than anything that preceded it. Left winger Darragh O'Mahony took Bracken's looping and perfectly-weighted pass to run 60 metres before Rob Thirlby gathered his grubber kick to go over.

Thierry Lacroix, Bracken's half back partner for only the third time this season, then showed another moment of ingenuity when, five minutes later, his reverse pass set Ben Johnston away from 30 metres to the line. The England Under-21 centre dealt with Beal by dropping his left shoulder before resisting two Northampton tackles on the line.

But despite the loss of Dawson, Saints were determined to make a fight of it. Northampton took advantage of the absence of Paul Wallace, who was sent to the sin bin, with Budge Pountney diving over.

Northampton scored another close range range try through Gary Pagel soon after the restart and seconds after Wallace's return.

Saracens had lost their rhythm of the first half that had yielded two beautifully crafted tries and, at 15-15, they were grateful for another splurge of points giving them command of the game again.

Lacroix's superb arcing pass out wide found Kris Chesney thundering to the line and as Beal attempted to halt the Sarries lock, he slipped into the advertising hoarding.

Paul Grayson kicked two penalties to keep stubborn Saints in the hunt, but a late penalty slotted by Lacroix ensured Sarries prevailed to fight another momentous battle.

Bracken added: 'I think the Bristol game is going to be tougher, especially up front. Bristol are even stronger in their pack so we will have to figure ways of stopping that.'