Aviva Premiership: Worcester Warriors beat Newcastle Falcons
Worcester claimed their first Aviva Premiership win of the season with a 17-12 victory at Newcastle.
Last Updated: 30/03/14 5:27pm
The Warriors are now nine points adrift of the Falcons at the bottom of the league with four matches remaining, after winning away in the Premiership for the first time since New Year's Day 2012.
In an unsurprisingly tense opening period, given the importance of the encounter, three Phil Godman penalties to Chris Pennell's two gave Newcastle a 9-6 lead at the break.
Godman and Ryan Lamb then traded three-pointers before the Warriors' stand-off levelled the scores midway through the second half.
The game needed a spark and it came with 10 minutes remaining when winger Josh Drauniniu crossed the whitewash to give Worcester the win.
Despite failing to win a league game going into this encounter, the Warriors have shown an improvement in their performances over the previous two months.
Elusive win
A match against their closest challengers therefore provided the perfect opportunity for Dean Ryan's men to get that elusive win, but it was Newcastle that opened the scoring through Godman.
Worcester soon found an element of territory and, following a Falcons' infringement at the breakdown, Pennell levelled matters from the tee.
The full-back then kicked his second long-range penalty to give the visitors a 6-3 lead after 13 minutes.
However, the hosts' equalised through the boot of their stand-off before the midlands' outfit were penalised for taking down a maul and Godman took Dean Richards' side 9-6 ahead at the interval.
Lamb, taking over kicking duties from Pennell, and Godman traded three-pointers in the second half before the Warriors' fly-half made the score 12-12 with 25 minutes remaining.
The game continued to be tight with very little separating the teams, until Andy Symons broke through and off-loaded to Drauniniu to touch down.
Worcester held on to take a memorable win and re-ignite hopes of a remarkable escape act.
