Warriors hold off Irish

Defeat at Sixways in a low-key contest snuffed out London Irish's slim hopes of an LV= Cup semi-final place.

Worcester, who were already out of the competition before kick-off, looked the more inventive team as they warmed up for next week's Premiership clash at high-flying Saracens.

Worcester took control in the first half, as they grabbed a neat try and could have had another three as the Exiles defence struggled.

The try came moments after Worcester missed a chance when wing Marcel Garvey got the better of opposite number Topsy Ojo on the left.

However, with no Irish defence covering, full-back Chris Latham could not control the loose ball and the chance was lost.

Centre Dale Rasmussen set up that opening try as he roared through a gap in the Irish midfield and, on reaching the 22, sent over wing Chris Pennell on the right.

Kiwi fly-half Willie Walker converted before opposite number Ryan Lamb reduced the deficit with an excellent 42-metre penalty.

Ojo was again at fault when he failed to catch a Walker cross-field kick ahead of centre Greg King but former England flanker Pat Sanderson dropped the ball and the great chance went begging.

Tough

It was tough for Irish before the break as they failed to capitalise on turnover ball given up by the opposition and never reached try-scoring territory.

The Exiles looked lacklustre and their scrum creaked at times. Worcester should have had a second try when they had three attacking set-pieces on the Irish line but opted to throw the ball into midfield and gave up yet another turnover as a result.

Lamb made Worcester pay for indiscipline near the half-time whistle with his second penalty but that was cancelled out on the stroke of the break by Walker, who added another two on the resumption and looked to have effectively killed of any further progress for the Londoners.

Irish did not help themselves either as they found themselves down to 14 men when Lamb was stupidly sin-binned for back-chatting to referee David Bodilly.

The Exiles needed to win the game and to score four tries in the final 15 minutes to have any chance of reaching the semi-finals.

But, even when full-back Peter Hewatt thumped over their third penalty and Irish introduced veterans Mike Catt and Peter Richards off the bench, they still failed to spark.

Worcester's own faults, namely infringements at rucks that gave away clearing penalties to the opposition, gave them little to show for the territory they had in the last quarter.

Their one try-scoring chance of the half came in the last minute when replacement fly-half Matthew Jones tapped a quick penalty, danced through the opposition and was brought down just a metre from scoring.