WORCESTER Warriors battled ferociously and broke the hearts of an unbeaten Northampton Wanderers to clinch a 17-10 win in the Northern Conference of the Zurich 'A' League at Franklin's Gardens last night.

The Worcester second string, coming off the back of a defeat to Newcastle Falcons in their last outing, took the victory with a try at the death sealing their third win in the competition.

New signing Giscard Peters made a quiet but effective start to his Worcester career with the South African winger punching holes in the Northampton defence and helping to set up numerous Warriors' attacks.

And the Sixways side made numerous attempts to grind down a determined defence from the home team.

Fly-half Jon Higgins became the star of the show as he slotted over two conversions and a penalty with more opportunities at goal than Northampton counterpart Ben Patston.

Higgins also punished the Wanderers with his kicking from hand as he eased the pressure on his side and led them back into Northampton territory time after time.

Despite a four-point deficit at half-time, the fresh legs of scrum-half Clive Stuart-Smith refocused the side and the new half-back partnership looked more secure.

A quick tap-and-go penalty by Stuart-Smith, after a period of pressure by the visitors, got the momentum going with open-side flanker Alex Rae the grateful recipient of a Duncan Roke pass to run in from short distance.

The home side looked to have stolen back a draw as they slotted home a penalty and, with Higgins pushing a drop goal attempt wide, a share of the points seemed likely.

It was up to the Worcester pack to keep up the effort. This was was rewarded in the third minute of injury time as flanker Neil Mason trotted over the line, with Higgins sealing the victory with his conversion to make the final score 17-10.

Worcester: Duncan Roke; Giscard Peters, Simon Watling, Gary Trueman (Uche Oduza 16mins), Sione Kepu; Jon Higgins, Neil Cole (Clive Stuart-Smith 40mins); Tom Warren (James Thomas 60mins), Dylan Hartley (Alan Keylock 67mins), James Thomas (Lee Fortey 40mins), James Percival, Phil Murphy, Neil Mason, Alex Rae, Brad Macloed-Henderson (Mark Hopley 69mins).

n Harlequins' swoop for Geo Cronje looks to have hit a stumbling block after it emerged the controversial Springbok second row is apparently still under contract with the Blue Bulls.