Exeter 21 Worcester 10

IF Worcester Rugby Club viewed the National One clash with Exeter Chiefs as a test of character, they failed spectacularly so at the County Ground.

Saturday's 21-10 defeat not only left Worcester's promotion dreams in tatters but gave the coaching staff a harsh reminder of the work which needs to be done if this season is not again condemned to one of failure.

They were never in the match from start to finish and found themselves chasing the game after a first half of Exeter domination. To underlined their superiority, the Chiefs played out the final 20 minutes of the match a man down after a couple of sin-bins and still held out.

Exeter's new Aussie fly half Chris Malone gave a masterclass, especially in the first period, and punished another undisciplined display from the visitors. The former Australian under-21 did exactly what everyone knew he would if Worcester gifted him the opportunities - slot them over to give the home side a 9-0 lead midway through the half.

He then combined with Richard John and Sean Marsden before Kiwi Piran Trethewey finished off a breath-taking move, on 25 minutes, to make it 14-0 against the league leaders. Worcester had offered little in attack but, instead, got involved in any fights that were going. Kingsley Jones went head to head with fellow skipper Rob Baxter within the first minute and had to be replaced after re-opening his wounds from last weekend.

Ben Hinshelwood looked to carry the greatest threat in open play but Worcester's best option seemed to be a catch and drive move. The ability to keep the ball, however, seems to have been lost and the more cautious option of kicking the ball back to the opposition is hardly bearing fruit for the now second-placed team.

Exeter, remarkably for a semi-professional outfit, seemed sharper throughout and with the outstanding Malone pulling the strings, it was not hard to see why they have now beaten the two top sides in the division. Sateki Tuipulotu, back in the side on the wing at the expense of leading league try scorer Chris Garrard, brought hope of a comeback within two minutes of the second half with a penalty but, ultimately, it proved to be a false dawn.

Exeter killed the game off after another gift from the visitors when Worcester's indiscipline came back to haunt them. Dan Zaltzman's punch on Gary Willis was spotted by the touch judge and the resulting penalty led to a Danny Porte try in the corner on 52 minutes. Malone added a quite superb conversion as the Chiefs stretched their lead to 21-3.

Worcester were given a glimmer, four minutes later, when Richard Baxter received his marching orders. Baxter, warned by the referee moments earlier, was shown the yellow card for an offence in the scrum and with Exeter looking tired for the first time, the tide seemed to have turned.

Worcester's backs began to pass with some fluidity but there always seemed to be a tackle or a handling error to deny a score. After incessant pressure on the line, however, super sub Richard Smith dived over and with Tuipulotu's fine conversion, they were back in it at 21-10. Baxter returned only for Willis to be yellow carded, 10 minutes from time, and Worcester were still in the game.

Breaks from Hinshelwood, Yates and Tuipulotu, though, were all denied before Craig Chalmers put in Ben Clarke only for the former Bath man to lose the ball just before the line. In the end, however, they ran out of time and were left to rue another undisciplined performance.

For too long now, we have been talking about a two-horse race for promotion. On this evidence, we may have been talking up the wrong frontrunner. Exeter were the true stayers on the day and in Malone they have unearthed a real thoroughbred.

Worcester:NHINSHELWOOD 8, Tuipulotu 6, Roke 6, Yates 6, Stanley 6, Chalmers 6, Moncrief 5, Davis 6, Ross 7, Moreno 6, Morgan 6, Zaltzman 5, Evans 6, Jones 6, Jenner 6.

Replacements: Smith 7 (Moncrief 47), Vile, Hall, Soper 6 (Morgan 60), Carter 6 (blood for Jones 8), Clarke 6 (Jenner 47), Collins 6 (Davis 60)

Man of the match: Ben Hinshelwood - excellent in attack and prevented a try with a superb save midway through the first half.