But the home side, led by the experienced boot of fly half Barry Everitt, battled back to edge ahead in the latter stages in front of a crowd of 1,215.

Warriors mounted  a superb late comeback in the dying minutes and came close to snatching the win before having to settle for a losing bonus point.

“It was a positive display and positive performance in the way we approached the game and how we wanted to play,” said Academy boss Andrew Stanley.

“We were up against it for long periods in the second half but the boys showed a lot of character to stay within touching distance in the last 15 minutes after we surrendered a half-time lead.

“The lesson we have got to take is that we have got to execute opportunities when they present themselves. The boys are bitterly disappointed but if they take that lesson away from the game then they will be a better team and better players for it.

“We now have the chance to put this right against Sale next Monday night and the boys are already looking to that game and putting together another positive display.”

Warriors were on the front foot from the kick off with wing Miles Benjamin in the thick of the action with two strong runs down the right before Joe Carlisle just drifted a drop goal attempt wide of the posts.

It was Wanderers, though, who went ahead on five minutes with their first attack when room was created out wide and speedster Ollie Storey stormed through a gap down on the right wing and slid over for an early lead.

Wanderers again threatened shortly afterwards when centre Neil Starling tore a huge hole in midfield but was hauled down by the retreating Tom Wheatcroft before Carlisle thumped a long clearance to relieve the mounting pressure.

Opposite number Greg Evans was then just inches from breaking the Northampton line after a sublime flick from Carlisle but he just failed to hold on. However, the home side were pulled back for offside and Carlisle confidently split the posts with a penalty to reduce the deficit.

Rising star Carlisle was having a superb start to the game and set up the first Warriors try of the night with a moment of individual brilliance. The young fly half saw the Northampton defence squeeze up and, after spotting the expanse of space in behind, put over a lovely chip that centre Evans collected at full tilt. The ball was then sent through the hands of wing Charlie Fellows before centre Grove collected and raced over. Carlisle completed the move he had started with the conversion.

The home side were looking wide at every chance to stretch Worcester with the visitors guilty of falling of a number of first up tackles before the defence regrouped and slammed the door shut.

Fit again lock Tim Collier was making his presence known at the breakdown as Warriors repeatedly forced Northampton to give away penalties in attack.

At the midway point of the first half, Northampton forced Worcester back after a penalty for offside and when Warriors were penalised the hosts kicked for the corner. The rolling maul was shunted back but referee Richard Draper again pinned the visitors. The home side continued to pile on the pressure over the space of five minutes with repeated scrums but looked to have lost the chance when the ball spun loose only for centre Grant Anderson to pick up and bulldoze his way past his man and score under the posts. Barry Everitt slotted the conversion for the lead.

Worcester rallied with a strong scrum allowing Jonny Arr to dive through a gap and spin the ball left. Impressive flanker James Collins and Craig Everett took the ball on and powered towards the line only to be held up by a desperate Northampton defence.

Worcester were now showing real patience to probe the Wanderers defence with Carlisle’s disguised pass inside creating space for the flying Grove. The forwards took the ball on before quick ball saw Carlisle intelligently unlock the defence with his floated pass out right using the overlap with Collier collecting and running in from ten yards to help his side again take the lead 12-15.

The visitors ended the first half the stronger with Paula Havea producing a storming run from deep as he handed off three men to take Warriors into the break with a three-point advantage.

Warriors made a dream start to the second half as the ball was won by lock Will Bowley from the kick off and he spun inside to Collins who was only just short of the line with a powerful run. The ball was spun right by Arr and Grove slid over just 18 seconds after the restart. Gareth Morgan, on for Carlisle at the break, added a difficult conversion for a 22-12 lead.

Warriors were flying after the break as Collins again was just pulled back close to the line after a cutting break from Evans and Havea handed off several men close to the line before the ball was lost forward.

The Worcester forwards were really fronting up to the challenge being presented by Wanderers and continued to win the battle in the contact for loose ball and in the scrum, with the ever vocal Collier leading the charge.

Pumped up Warriors were impressively winning the territorial and possession battle but a loose kick from Wheatcroft allowed Northampton to break from deep.

Seconds later a kick over the top from Everitt caused some confusion between Morgan and Bowley as they looked to mop up and Dylan Hartley fortunately pounced on the loose ball to score under the posts. Everitt added the conversion to cut the lead to three points.

Suddenly the home side upped a gear and a penalty for offside saw Everitt level the scores going into the last 20 minutes before the experienced fly half edged his side ahead with another ice cool kick.

Worcester were now battling to mount any attack and were being held back by Northampton who turned the screw with time running down as the penalty count started to hurt the visitors.

Home scrum half Ian Vass threatened to take the game away from Worcester with a piercing run from deep but Warriors again plugged the gap before running from deep to set up a thrilling finale.

Morgan had the chance to level the scores with a penalty seven minutes from time after Northampton strayed offside but made a mess of his kick as it skidded wide. Bowley, though, superbly claimed the restart and Morgan again just failed to collect his chip over the top for himself.

Warriors were mounting a grandstand end to the game with a never-say-die attitude but knocked on in key positions and when Evans brilliantly broke the line again his pass outside was flicked out by Fellows with replacement wing Uche Oduoza on his shoulder to score.

Another strong run in the final minute released Morgan and his chip to Wheatcroft just failed to find its target with the covering Northampton defence bundled into touch.

Morgan again found the corner with his kick, after a late penalty, with the last attack to set up a final attacking platform but the ball was lost and Northampton hacked clear to run down time and end a thrilling game.

Timeline:
5m Storey t 5-0
16m Grove t Carlisle c 5-10
30m Anderson t Everitt c 12-10
36m Collier t 12-15
41m Grove t Morgan c 12-22
57m Hartley t Everitt c 19-22
61m Everitt p 22-22
66m Everitt p 25-22

Warriors: 01 Callum Black, 02 Jordan Page, 03 Shaun Ruwers, 04 Tim Collier, 05 Will Bowley, 06 Paula Havea (Molitika 64), 07 James Collins, 08 Craig Everett, 09 Jonny Arr, 10 Joe Carlisle (Morgan 40), 11 Charlie Fellows, 12 Greg Evans, 13 Alex Grove, 14 Miles Benjamin (Oduoza 55), 15 Tom Wheatcroft

Replacements: 16 Scott Wright, 17 Jack Gilding, 18 Haloti Molitika, 19 Jake Abbott, 20 Will Runciman, 21 Gareth Morgan, 22 Uche Oduoza