ANDY Keast has admitted to sleepless nights during Worcester's Premiership season.

The Sixways head coach, who takes his side to Wasps tomorrow, is locked in a relegation battle which has proved as compelling as the race for the Premiership title.

Worcester need points out of their final two games to ensure their top-level safety.

After a couple of defeats against Bath and Saracens, the pressure was immense before their weekend victory at Newcastle.

And Keast admits the season has been a tough one.

"I'd be lying if I said I'd been sleeping well," he said. "We have to look after our destiny and that's what we keep telling the players. That might sound a clich but it's so, so true. If you worry about all the other teams and how they do, then you'll drive yourself into a mental home.

"You've just got to work hard, Monday to Friday, and get ready for the weekend. The Newcastle game was the biggest pressure game this club have ever been involved in.

"So, it was a real team performance because everybody who was involved threw themselves into it with total commitment.

"At the end of the game, you would have thought they'd have lost because they were sitting down in the dressing room absolutely shattered. They didn't say a word.

"We've always said that this group of players work hard but at Newcastle they showed just what a good group they are."

Meanwhile, Newcastle's director of rugby, Rob Andrew, believes Worcester have progressed "enormously" since the opening day of the season.

Back in September, Newcastle won 30-9 at Sixways but the Warriors have since notched up eight top-flight wins as they learnt quickly about life in the Premiership.

"They've progressed enormously," he said. "Clearly there is a belief now that they can compete in the Premiership.

"That's the hardest thing for any team coming into the Premiership. It probably took them a couple of months to realise that.

"It's not easy for them now -- we were probably one more pass or break from taking the game from them on Sunday -- but they are now very, very competitive."