Saracens coach Rod Kafer is targeting a sustained run in this season's Powergen Cup after overcoming Penzance-Newlyn 30-20 in Sunday's sixth-round encounter at the Mennaye Field.
Tries from Kris Chesney, Richard Haughton and Ben Russell plus 15 points from Fijian fly-half Nicky Little ensured the Zurich Premiership side of their place in the quarter-finals.
However, it was far from easy for the top-flight side, who were being held 13-13 at the break.
Former Saracens player Rob Thirlby bagged two early penalties and also converted James Shanahan's try to keep the Cornish side in the game.
Thirlby also converted an injury-time try from winger Matt Jess but by then the game was safely in the bag for the visitors.
Kafer said: "We knew it would be a testing game, cup ties always are. You had one team who were mad keen to win it, the other who thinks they should win. That's how you end up having a close game like today."
Kafer admitted Penzance played their part in an exciting encounter, adding: "We're pleased to be through to the next round. Obviously we've got things to work on and players to come back in, so we'll go away and build for the next game.
"Of course the cup is important, it's always important. Our guys will be trying to get through the next stage and into the semi-finals and take it from there. Today was a good test for us."
The Australian admitted his side were not fully "at the races" during the first half, but was pleased with the way they picked up after the break.
He added: "We said at half-time we needed to improve. We weren't quite at the races in the first half, but in the second half our concentration levels were better and we picked our game up."
Kafer's opposite number, former Wales international Kevin Moseley, praised his side's efforts on the day.
He said: "All week we have just set ourselves the aim of producing a decent performance that we can take into next week's league game at Manchester.
"I think we did that today - the boys were terrific. This has given us an ideal platform to take into next week's match. We always knew we could attack, but today we showed some very good defence against a Premiership side.
"It was a very close game. What I was most pleased about was that we didn't roll up and die. We kept on going right to the end, scoring the final try, so there were plenty of positives for us to take out of the game."