WORCESTER Men's Firsts let a lead slip late on as they went down 4-3 at home to Rugby in Coaching Solutions Midlands One.

They went two goals down after 10 minutes due to sloppy defending but hit back from two short corners with great strikes from Alex Kotlarzewski and Chris Adams.

Worcester took the lead minutes before half-time with a great solo effort from Adams.

But they gave up the 3-2 lead with two minutes to go as John Sprague was sent off and Rugby equalised before winning with the last play of the game.

Worcester Seconds drew 3-3 at Khalsa with a James Brown equaliser but were unlucky not to take all three points.

They started with confidence, creating several chances, but Matt Walker could not find the net.

Khalsa took advantage to net two scrappy goals but captain Waters' half-time team-talk inspired his troops.

Commanding midfield play by Matt Hooper and Brown gave Walker the chance to sneak in at the far post to power in a vital goal.

Level

The second came from a short corner when Mark Carey found himself free to fire past the 'keeper and then Brown reverse-sticked Hooper's cross to pull things level.

A young Worcester Thirds team fell 3-0 at experienced Stourport in the Midlands Premier.

The city went behind early in the first-half from a good short corner but should have levelled the scores by the interval.

Stourport started the second period well and scored two more from short corners but Worcester's youngsters will have learnt a lot from the game.

Worcester Sixths lost 4-3 at Solihull Blossomfield in a great end-to-end game.

Worcester twice took the lead through Adrian Shipley and M Edwards but Blossomfield levelled on both occasions.

In the second-half, the hosts scored twice more and though Edwards pulled one back, they were denied an equaliser.

In a game of few chances, Worcester Sevenths lost 2-0 at home to a stronger, younger Old Halesonians side.

Worcester forced a scare in the opening minutes but then had to defend for most of the first-half.

Old Hales grabbed the first through good midfield work and added a second later on through a rebound from a short corner.

A well-contested game of good hockey saw Badgers Potters defeat Solihull Blossomfield 2-0.

Either side could have taken the lead in an end-to-end first 20 minutes but Worcester did so through Chris Kendall after a fine move.

They quickly went two ahead after Josh White converted a good right-wing move involving Oliver Drew.

Alex Lam bagged all five goals as Badgers Pippins were rewarded for continuous pressure in a one-sided 5-0 win over Evesham.

Worcester Women's Firsts failed to build on their Swansea win as they slipped to a crucial 4-1 home defeat to fellow strugglers Exmouth in English League National South.

They were put under early pressure, conceding a series of short corners which resulted in Exmouth's opener. Bottom-of-the-table Worcester fought back and Julie Harwood created good chances but the city side failed to take advantage.

The second-half started with Worcester passing the ball well and working hard as a team.

But an undeserved yellow card for Rachel Creese upset the balance of Worcester's team and Exmouth broke away to double their lead.

The visitors scored two more before Worcester got a consolation goal through Liz George's solo effort on 67 minutes.

Worcester resume their league campaign on January 28 at home against Firebrands.

The Seconds conceded four well-worked team goals in a 4-1 home defeat to Redditch.

They started well and Nicky Wilkinson thought she had scored a fantastic goal a minute before the interval but it was disallowed by the opposition's umpire from the wrong side of the pitch.

Worcester could not lift their heads and conceded four although Bex Close scored a consolation from a rebound in the 'D'.

Worcester Thirds lost 2-0 at experienced Harborne Seconds, despite some good saves by Rachel Walker.

Worcester defended strongly through Anna Saunders and Helen Brown, while Walker denied well-built attacks.

As the city side grew more confident, they attacked more positively but conceded the opener late in the first-half.

Both teams created chances in the second period but although the visitors continued to defend impressively, another good move led to the second goal.