WARRIORS.

5 Pennell – produced the odd good touch and catch but did not offer enough in attack and was sin-binned for a high tackle late on.

6 Humphreys – popped up in different positions as he searched for the ball, but little came off for him as his pass straight into touch in the closing stages summed up his afternoon.

7 BECK – constantly pushed and probed Irish’s defence, often wriggling out of tackles to make yards before providing the break for Lance’s decisive try. My man of the match.

6 Mills – was solid defensively and produced a couple of clever grubbers but his decision to keep kicking out of hand when Irish were down to 14 men failed to ignite Warriors.

7 Howe – coming in for the injured Nanai, the wing was full of running, clocking up almost 100 metres and came agonisingly close to scoring a try only to lose control of the ball.

6 Weir – crossed for Warriors’ first try in a 13-point haul and carried on despite suffering a heavy blow to his jaw but was unable to get the back-line flowing.

5 Hougaard – showed plenty of early intent but made far too many mistakes for a player of his calibre as he had two kicks charged down.

6 Black – after a sloppy start, conceding two early penalties, the prop scrummaged well and was a rock in defence with his tackle statistics hitting double figures.

7 Moulds – was not as effective in the loose as he was at Gloucester but was Warriors’ best defender with 12 tackles and none missed and landed all 14 of his lineout throws.

7 Schonert – caused Dell heaps of problems in the scrum and was prepared to put his head where it hurts as he left the field with a facial injury.

7 Bresler – had to come off with cramp following another workmanlike performance as he fronted up well against a physical pack and won a turnover.

7 Kitchener – was not faultless as he carelessly knocked on after Warriors won a lineout but ran the set-piece superbly and got stuck in.

6 Hill – made his presence felt in the first two minutes with a huge hit on number eight Tuisue and made some big carries but conceded a few turnovers.

7 Lewis – also made the odd error but battled hard at the breakdown which Irish contested strongly and shut down several attacks with fearless tackling.

6 du Preez – was his usual abrasive self as he tackled ferociously and assisted for Weir's try but failed to get much gain-line success in a scrappy encounter.

Replacements: Palframan 6 (Schonert 37), Lance 7 (Weir 53), Heaney 5 (Hougaard 60), Fatialofa 5 (Bresler 62), Bower (Black 73).

Not used: Miller, Shillcock.

Referee: I Tempest.

Attendance: 11,499.

Irish: Veitokani; Tuatagaloa (Stokes 69), Rona, Stephenson, Hassell-Collins; Myler, Phipps (Meehan 57); Dell (Elrington 50), Matu’u, Chawatama (Hoskins 50), van der Merwe © (Mafi 66), Coleman, Rogerson (Fainga’a 34), Cowan, Tuisue (Elrington, 34 - 40). Not used: Nott, Campbell.

RUN OF PLAY.

0-3: Myler penalty, 14mins.

5-3: Weir try, 17mins.

7-3: Weir conv, 18mins.

10-3: Weir penalty, 24mins.

13-3: Weir penalty, 28mins.

YELLOW: Dell (Irish), 31mins.

RED: Matu'u (Irish), 33mins.

Half-time: Worcester Warriors 13-3 London Irish.

13-6: Myler penalty, 42mins.

18-6: Lance try, 59mins.

20-6: Lance conv, 60mins.

YELLOW: Pennell (Warriors), 69mins.

Full-time: Worcester Warriors 20-6 London Irish.