LONDON Irish slumped to a sixth straight Aviva Premiership defeat after a 44-13 loss away to new leaders Saracens.

Exiles were firmly in the game at the interval when they trailed 13-6.

But reigning European champions Saracens pulled away in the second half helped by three tries in a seven-minute blitz.

The defeat leaves Irish just one place off the bottom of the table, with basement boys Worcester Warriors four points behind.

Exiles now have the worst defensive record in the division after conceding 243 points in seven games, while Worcester have shipped 219 points.

Nick Kennedy’s men had kept things tight against Saracens in the opening 40 minutes at a sell-out Allianz Park on Saturday.

Irish were first to put points on the board thanks to a third-minute penalty from Tommy Bell.

But Saracens hit back with the first of their six tries on the day as England international Mako Vunipola powered through the Exiles defence to score under the posts, with Owen Farrell’s conversion giving the hosts a 7-3 lead.

Farrell, though, soon lost his range from the kicking tee by missing three penalties in quick succession before Bell reduced the deficit to 7-6 with the boot.

Yet British & Irish Lions ace Farrell soon made amends by landing two penalties before the break to put Saracens 13-6 ahead at the interval.

The visitors, however, were then reduced to 14 men when Teofilo Paulo was sinbinned for an off-the-ball challenge.

Saracens quickly took advantage seven minutes after the restart when Farrell finished off a slick move before converting his own try for a 20-6 lead.

Yet Irish would not go away and a comeback looked possible when skipper David Paice burrowed over from a driving maul three minutes later, with Bell’s conversion leaving them 20-13 behind.

But they were the last points Irish would put on the board as Sarries launched a blistering response with three tries in quick succession.

Liam Williams grabbed the first when he darted over in the corner after Exiles had been harshly penalised in the build-up.

Then, with the home side dominating possession, winger Chris Wyles capitalised on some Alex Goode magic in midfield by crossing the whitewash just past the hour mark to seal a bonus point. Farrell nailed a brilliant touchline conversion to put Sarries 34-13 up.

It got worse for Irish two minutes later when replacement winger Nathan Earle darted over for an unconverted score.

And Earle put the icing on the cake for Sarries by sprinting in at the corner from the last play of the contest for his second of the day.

London Irish return to Anglo-Welsh Cup action this Saturday when they host Bath (3pm ko).

Adult tickets start from £15 while Under 13s get in for £1.

Saracens: Goode, Williams (Earle 62), Tompkins, Barritt (c) (Lozowski 64), Wyles, Farrell, Spencer (Wigglesworth 52), Vunipola (Barrington 62), George (Tolofua 62), Kock (Figallo 52), Isiekwe (Skelton 41), Kruis, Clark, Burger, Wray (Earl 66).

London Irish: Bell, Cokanasiga (Ojo 73), Fowlie (Brophy Clews 66), Mulchrone, Lewington, Marshall, Meehan (Steele 59), Franks (Elrington 64), Paice (c) (Woolstencroft 66), Du Plessis (Hoskins 56), van der Merwe, Paulo (Northcote-Green 66), McNally, Cowan, Treviranus (Schatz 56).

Attendance: 10,000.

Referee: Andrew Jackson