BARRING a miracle and some exceptional results the dream has been put on hold for another 12 months.

Thoughts of Leicester, Bath, Lawrence Dallaglio, Jonny Wilkinson and the big time must wait.

Everyone connected with Worcester wants success so failing to make promotion this season will hurt.

But will waiting another season be such a bad thing in the long term?

Anybody who has seen the last two games will admit Worcester have lost the feel of an all-conquering force and, on current form, they would not set the highest level alight.

And faced with a year of struggling in the top division or another winning season in Division Two the latter looks preferable.

A season in the doldrums is the last thing the club wants having built up so much momentum in recent years.

The fan base could wane and sponsors, who will fall over themselves to be associated with a winning team, may not be too keen to back one struggling for points.

Exactly how Worcester would fare against the high and mighty is difficult to predict due to a lack of form guides.

Nobody will forget the cup endeavours of last season but such one-off games are never a reliable guideline.

Did Rob Andrew and his Newcastle side underestimate Worcester or did the packed home crowd bring out the full potential of Worcester? We will never know but certainly the Bristol victory was gained against a side struggling in the top division on the foulest of nights.

This season Worcester matched Gloucester for a half before being outmuscled at Kingsholm.

Worcester also played at Bedford in a pre-season friendly and were outplayed by last year's Division Two champions who have since found the going tough in premiership one.

West Hartlepool and London Scottish have also found promotion leading to a battle against the odds with survival the priority for the first season.

Most observers agree the gap between the top two divisions is growing all the time but Worcester should not feel completely down in the dumps after Saturday's defeat.

The recent run smacks of disaster in their terms but only because of the phenomenal record of the last nine seasons.

And though Les Cusworth has refused to use it as an excuse, Worcester have had horrendous injury problems which came to a head on Saturday when they were left without a recognised stand-off.

Promotion may now be beyond their grasp but the team from Sixways are sure to keep knocking on the door until it finally bursts open.

Tuesday, April 6, 1999.