Gavin Quinnell grabbed a try in the televised clash but early season pacesetters Gloucester proved too hot to handle as they wrapped up a third straight win and left Mike Ruddock still hunting his first in the Guinness Premiership.

“We’re disappointed because things didn’t quite go our way, but Gloucester are a tough side to beat,” said Director of Rugby Ruddock.

“It’s still the first month and a lot of work has already happened, but we are not kidding ourselves, this is a challenge and we have a long way to go yet.

“There are moments in the game when we showed good shape and at half-time we were pleased, but the second half we needed to score first to get back into it.”

Warriors boss Ruddock had made three changes to the side that had bravely battled back for a draw against Euro champs London Wasps with Samoan powerhouse centre Dom Feaunati handed a starting spot after his last gasp try helped secure two points.

Ryan Powell was preferred in the number nine shirt, ahead of namesake Matt, to win for his first start of the campaign and fit-again Drew Hickey was named in the back row.

The home side was without try machine Lesley Vainikolo, after he was ruled out in midweek with a neck injury, and England international Iain Balshaw pulled out on the eve of the game with a groin injury to be replaced by James Bailey.

Warriors were straight into their stride and were awarded a penalty after just 51 seconds by referee David Rose when the home side failed to roll away. But the chance came too soon for the radar of Shane Drahm who pushed his effort wide right of the upright to the sheer delight of home fans.

Gloucester showed their earlier intent to run the ball from deep whenever possible with play spun left at real pace to the recalled Mike Tindall, back after a five month layoff for a broken leg, only for the England international to be hauled down by visiting skipper Pat Sanderson.

The hosts were making good ground with every phase in the early stages and almost broke through again when Worcester born Number 8 Luke Narraway spilled the ball forward as he hit the game line with the try line beckoning.

Gloucester had a golden opportunity to take the lead on eight minutes but this time home fly half Ryan Lamb produced a carbon copy of Drahm’s earlier effort as his kick sailed wide.

Three minutes England Under-21 starlet Lamb again made a mess of a penalty attempt after Drew Hickey was hit for holding on, with his kick this time flying the other side of the posts to the dismay of the record home crowd.

Narraway was making his physical presence known to the Worcester pack as an impact runner all around the park as Warriors battled in vain to gain any real territorial advantage in the early stages.

Tempers threatened to boil over after Marcel Garvey produced a big tackle on James Bailey but Gloucester again failed to make the opportunity count as Hickey stole the resulting lineout close to the Worcester line before Powell hooked the ball clear.

Warriors finally enjoyed some sustained pressure midway through the first period as they kept the ball alive and spun it left and right with real drive looking for an opening. Hard-working centre Dale Rasmussen was dragged down as he looked to make a mini break down the wing with Phil Murphy on his shoulder.

Seconds later there appeared to be an opening down the opposite wing but Garvey’s chip over the top found touch instead of the rampaging Kai Horstmann on the overlap.

Both teams continued to slug it out for dominance with the Worcester forwards working as a unit to repeatedly slam the door shut on a cutting edge Gloucester side that had been running up tries for fun in the opening weeks of the season.

They hosts showed glimpses of what they were capable of with a quick break down the left falling to Tindall before he was abruptly stopped by the hard-working Garvey and the Worcester forwards surged in to turnover possession.

Opposite wing Thinus Delport was also nullifying any threat on his side of the pitch with an accomplished show against his former club with the noise of The Shed ringing in his ears.

The deadlock was finally broken on 34 minutes when scrum half Powell was too eager around the scrum and was caught offside allowing Lamb to this time made no mistake as his kick curled home to give his side a slender 3-0 lead.

A high penalty count continued to hurt Warriors as promising attack platforms were lost and the hosts again responded by threatened the opening try. This time the hosts Gloucester had numbers wide left but back row Andy Hazell was stopped in his tracks by a thumping tackle from Feauanti before his attempted offload to support leaked forward.

The visitors scrum was coming under intense pressure just before the break and when Phil Murphy was penalised for a deliberate knock on in front the posts it gave Lamb a simply task of doubling the lead.

Warriors mounted one final attack before the half-time whistle with Drahm slotting into the pocket for an attempted drop goal. But the pass from Sanderson put him under pressure and his hurried effort sliced off his boot and wide right.

Lamb had found his kicking boots and extended the lead just after the break with his third penalty of the evening.

Gloucester scored the opening try of the night when Warriors lost the ball in suicidal fashion as they looked to spread it right. Delport’s pass failed to find anyone except speedy wing James Simpson-Daniel who gladly picked up the loose ball and pressed the accelerator from inside his own half. The wing had too much gas for Rasmussen and then cut inside a furiously back-tracking Delport before running under the posts. Lamb’s conversion gave the hosts complete control.

Warriors responded to the try with an impressive spell of pressure and neat hands down the right this time almost gave Delport the room to power over before the forwards retained the ball.

Gavin Quinnell was thrown on and had an immediate impact as he received the ball from close range and barged past two to stretch for the try line. Referee Rose went to the fourth official for clarification that the ball had been grounded and soon the Worcester fans were celebrating as the try was given. Drahm added the extras to give the visitors fresh hope as the lead was cut to 16-7.

But that was short-lived as just five minutes a catch and drive, after Worcester were hit for coming in the side, saw the hosts rumble over from close range with home hooker Olivier Azam credited with touching the ball down. 

Former Gloucester hero Tony Windo was introduced to the action on the hour while Chris Fortey was hauled off and replaced by Ben Gotting and Dale Rasmussen limped off with Mark Tucker on.

Worcester rallied and another spell of pressure saw them camped on the Gloucester line but Powell’s attempt at grounding the ball from close range saw him knock on and the hosts clear the danger.

The problems escalated with Pat Sanderson sent to the sin bin with six minutes left and Lamb rubbed salt in the wound as he drilled a drop goal.

Misery was complete four minutes into stoppage time when Lamb’s kick over the top took a horrible bounce and fell kindly and Tindall could hardly believe his luck as he touched down the loose ball.

Timeline:
34m Lamb p 3-0
40m Lamb p 6-0
42m Lamb p 9-0
46m Simpson-Daniel t Lamb c 16-0
59m Quinnell t Drahm c 16-7
64m Azam t 21-7
75m Lamb dg 24-7
80m Tindall t 29-7

Warriors: 01 Darren Morris (Windo 62), 02 Chris Fortey (Gotting 65), 03 Tevita Taumoepeau, 04 Phil Murphy (Bowley 75), 05 Craig Gillies, 06 Drew Hickey (Quinnell 58), 07 Pat Sanderson, 08 Kai Horstmann, 09 Ryan Powell (M Powell 75), 10 James Brown, 11 Marcel Garvey, 12 Dominic Feaunati (Pennell 79), 13 Dale Rasmussen (Tucker 69), 14 Thinus Delport, 15 Shane Drahm

Replacements: 16 Tony Windo, 17 Ben Gotting, 18 Gavin Quinnell, 19 Will Bowley, 20 Matt Powell, 21 Mark Tucker, 22 Chris Pennell