Worcester came from behind to register a 21-15 win over Gloucester in their Aviva Premiership clash at Sixways on Saturday.
Trailing 10-6 at the break, Worcester came back strongly in the second half and tries by Andy Goode and Marcel Garvey paved the way to victory.
Garvey's runaway try from deep inside his half in the 65th minute sealed the win for the Warriors, their second in as many weeks.
Gloucester came into this game on the back of an impressive draw away to Saracens, and took a three point lead after ten minutes from a Freddie Burns penalty.
Worcester responded immediately with a Joe Carlisle place kick, but the visitors were looking the more threatening early on, and they were rewarded midway through the half when winger Charlie Sharples dived over for the first try of the game.
Burns added the extras to leave the away side in the ascendancy. The hosts dug in before the break though, curtailing the Gloucester threat, and just before the half-time whistle, they won a penalty which Joe Carlisle duly converted to leave four between them at the break, with all to play for in the second half.
Worcester picked up where they left off after the break, and despite a missed penalty from Goode, the substitute pivot made up for it straight away when he dived over to give the home side the lead, adding the extras to leave them three points ahead.
Gloucester had clearly started slowly, and Worcester extended their lead soon after, Goode again the scorer with a penalty.
The away side needed an answer quickly, but the hosts pulled ever further clear with fifteen minutes left, when winger Marcel Garvey dived over to leave Worcester in command.
Goode missed the chance to extend the Worcester lead with a missed penalty, before Jonny May gave the away side a glimmer of hope with three minutes to go, when he went over for a try, but Burns failed to add the conversion, and Worcester held on to record another much needed win.
The scorers:
For Worcester:
Tries: Goode, Garvey
Con: Goode
Pens: Carlisle 2, Goode
For Gloucester:
Tries: Sharples, May
Con: Burns
Pen: Burns
Worcester: 15 Chris Pennell (c), 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Alex Grove, 12 Dale Rasmussen, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Joe Carlisle, 9 Jonny Arr, 8 Matt Kvesic, 7 Jake Abbott, 6 Sam Betty, 5 Chris Jones, 4 James Percival, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Matt Mullan.
Replacements: 16 Bruce Douglas, 17 Ed Shervington, 18 Oliver Tomaszczyk, 19 Craig Gillies, 20 Richard Muagututia, 21 Shaun Perry, 22 Andy Goode, 23 Ravai Fatiaki.
Gloucester: 15 Olly Morgan, 14 Charlie Sharples, 13 Henry Trinder, 12 Mike Tindall, 11 James Simpson-Daniel, 10 Freddie Burns, 9 Rory Lawson, 8 Luke Narraway (capt) 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Alasdair Strokosch, 5 Alex Brown, 4 Jim Hamilton, 3 Rupert Harden, 2 Scott Lawson, 1 Nick Wood.
Replacements: 16 Matias Cortese, 17 Dan Murphy, 18 Dario Chistolini, 19 Peter Buxton, 20 Matt Cox, 21 Dave Lewis, 22 Ryan Mills, 23 Jonny May.
Venue: Sixways
Referee: Martin Fox
Comments
damo says...
A sub for Gloucester came on in this one and must have given away 3 pens and a couple of misplaced passes, I will not name names but this game was not a classic, fair play to Worcester they slowed down the game really well its a pity they will finish above Newcastle as their delaying tactics are disgraceful especially with about 10 players who are top class. I never saw the likes of them walking to the half way line and taking 3 minutes in all my years.
Posted 14:33 08th January 2012