Saracens coach Alex Sanderson admits his players were "gutted" to be knocked out of the LV=Cup at the semi-final stage.

The Men in Black lost 21-15 to a determined Sale side who scored a try late on in each half to book a place in the final.

"We're gutted, the boys are gutted," Sanderson said. "It's a big opportunity for them at this stage in the semi-final.

"But unfortunately we feel, and I'm sure they do as well, we could have done better.

"Our discipline at the breakdown wasn't what it should have been today and they got lucky with a try and that's the game isn't it?"

Defence coach Paul Gustard believes Saracens didn't do enough in the first half when a strong wind was blowing in their favour.

He said: "We didn't play well in the first half. We didn't take advantage of the wind, we played a bit naively - our style of play didn't take advantage of the conditions.

"So we put ourselves on the back foot and it's obviously small margins with the lead we had following their first try.

"We actually played very well in the second half, it was only the 15 minutes towards the end when Sale really got into our 22.

"But from a restart we fluffed a kick into touch, they get a penalty, put it into the corner, we lost a few collisions and then a try.

"I thought we controlled the match very well but unfortunately mistakes, a bit of indiscipline and it's a try isn't it?"

Saracens continued their policy of using youngsters in the competition and Sanderson insists there are no regrets that they didn't start some of their more experienced players.

"No regrets, not at all," he said.

"These guys got us into the semi-final, it's their reward, obviously getting that achievement it's only right they started the game.

"If we had got to the final it might not have been the same bench but the same team would have started again."