Agony for the Warriors
Worcester saw their chance to pull clear of the bottom of the Premiership slip away as they crashed to a 12-11 defeat to London Irish.
Last Updated: 22/02/08 9:57pm
Worcester saw another chance to pull clear of the bottom of the Guinness Premiership agonisingly slip away as they crashed to a 12-11 defeat to London Irish.
Despite scoring the only try of the match through All Blacks winger Rico Gear, the Warriors were made to pay by the boot of Peter Hewat.
The Australian full-back landed three penalties in the first half, before adding a drop goal after the interval.
The Warriors only trailed 9-5 at the break - and must have fancied their chances in front of their own Sixways fans.
They gave it a good go after Hewart had made it 12-5 - with Loki Cricton and then Shane Drahm adding penalties to cut the gap to just a point.
Deficit
And although they picked up a losing bonus point, the defeat still leaves the door open for Leeds to possibly cut the gap on Saturday.
Warriors had found themselves 6-0 down after 28 minutes following two penalties from Hewat - however they had cut the deficit to just a point on the half-hour mark.
Gear crossed to the delight of the home fans, however Crichton was unable to an the penalty - and how costly that was to prove.
A third penalty from Hewat gave the Exiles a 9-5 lead at the break before he added his drop goal three minutes into the second half.
Trailing by seven, Worcester came storming back. Crichton found his range with a 51st-minte penalty, before replacement Drahm saw the gap cut to a solitary point again with a penalty of his own on the hour-mark.
However, try as they might, they couldn't find another way through in the final quarter as the Exiles clung on.
