Sunday, April 10, 2005

IT is indeed true that fortune favours the brave.

With seven minutes remaining of this intense clash at Kingston Park, Worcester were faced with the old dilemma.

Having been awarded another penalty by Ashley Rowden, the Warriors -- holding a precious three point advantage -- had the choice of three points in front of the posts or kick to the corner and go for broke.

Pat Sanderson went for the latter and, a minute later once Craig Gillies had wrestled back a wayward line-out throw, Captain Marvel was barged over the line by Worcester's magnificent other seven. It was a magical moment as Sanderson and the rest of the Warriors wheeled around with pure elation etched across their faces. Once again, they had their destiny back in their own hands.

It was a gutsy, gutsy decision which could have cost the Warriors millions. Many captains and coaches would have opted for the three points in such a match situation but they knew Newcastle were there for the taking at that moment. The Falcons failed to deal with Worcester's set piece all day and the Warriors' driving line-outs proved just too much for Rob Andrew's men. But they were also a match for them out wide.

Worcester will probably get little credit for their work through the back-line but Giscard Pieters' score on the half-hour was the outstanding try of the match, while James Brown's two drop goals were top notch considering the gusting wind in Newcastle.

It wasn't perhaps a game for the purists but Newcastle made as many handling errors as Worcester who were, indeed, under vastly more pressure than their hosts. The Warriors found themselves back on the bottom of the table going into the match following Gloucester's capitulation against Leeds 24 hours earlier.

It meant that Worcester had to pull an unlikely victory out of the bag. But when you have people such as Tony Windo and Neil Lyman propping up your effort, you've always got a chance. The veteran front row duo were reunited because of a mounting injury list and Lyman, who had not played since October because of a persistent sternum injury, deserves so much credit for getting through an hour of Premiership rugby. Windo also caught the eye not just in the tight but also in the loose when he made two telling interceptions midway through the second-half when Worcester were rocking somewhat.

Conditions played such a part that Worcester -- playing against the wind in the first-half -- had to hang in there for long periods up until the break but Pieters' try and Brown's late drop goal gave them an 8-6 interval lead following two Matt Burke penalties. Both teams were reduced to 14 men late in the half when Rowden offered both Colin Charvis and Siaosi Vaili yellow cards after some handbags in front of the referee.

The ref's inability, however, to control the players meant that Newcastle -- and Charvis in particular -- seemed to have a free hand. They were allowed professional fouls, penalty after penalty and some utterly outrageous mid-air pulling down. Rowden's last chances seemed to stretch all afternoon.

It meant, though, that Brown could extend the lead early in the second-half and, despite a Cory Harris try from the Falcons which levelled things up, Worcester's fly-half chipped over a delicious drop goal on the hour to put their noses back in front. It set up a grandstand finish.

Sanderson's moment of magic and Tommy Hayes' cool conversion looked to have put the result beyond doubt but, following a late Burke try and seven agonising minutes of stoppage time, the Warriors' superb away support had nibbled their last finger nails by the time Rowden's final whistle echoed around the park.

It prompted scenes of wild celebration as the Warriors went berserk and it underlined the point they've been making all season. You can throw at them what you want. You can to rock the boat by criticising new signings and questioning their commitment. You can crank up the pressure all you want with these bizarre Premiership results. Do what you will.

Worcester will respond every single time. The Warriors gloriously seized the moment here at Kingston Park and put in a display which simply oozed character.

After such a performance, it would be criminal if they now didn't go and finish the job off.

Worcester: Delport 7; Pieters 7, Rasmussen 8, Lombard 8, Hinshelwood 7; Brown 7, Powell 6; Windo 8, Van Niekerk 7, NLYMAN 9, Murphy 7, Gillies 8, Vaili 7, Sanderson 8, Hickey 8.

Replacements: Sparks 7 (Lyman 59), Blaze (Murphy 73), Daly 7 (Van Niekerk 59), MacLeod-Henderson (Vaili 79), Cole 6 (Powell 69), Hayes 6 (Brown 69), O'Leary 7 (Pieters 40).

Man of the match: NEIL LYMAN -- big-hearted display by the half-fit tighthead who played 60 minutes after months out injured.