THE festive season has not been the happiest for the Warriors -- but there is still a reasonable amount to cheer about at Sixways.

They may have endured three straight defeats and have a number of key players on the treatment table, but all the noises from within the club are positive ones.

The Worcester players are no strangers to losing runs, having suffered eight defeats in their first nine games in the Premiership last season.

Back then, the fightback began against Northampton -- who, by a quirk of fate, they will hope to end their current slide against tomorrow.

After that vital win at Frank-lin's Gardens, the European champions Wasps rolled up at Sixways and headed back home with their collective tail between their legs.

Slowly but surely, Worcester hauled themselves off the bottom of the table and then sealed their place in the top flight on a remarkable last day of the season.

Once again it was Saints that they overcame that day and they could do with a similar result tomorrow.

The point is that most of the players at Worcester know what it is like to have their backs against the wall. Even without the Pat Sandersons and Chris Horsmans, they have experienced campaigners in the dressing room and the players will be relishing the challenge of returning to winning ways.

There is one significant difference to the side that Saints brought to Sixways in April.

Back then, Shane Drahm was wearing a Saints jersey while this time he will be in the home dressing room.

An ankle injury means that Drahm's participation could be limited to either substitute or spectator, but there's no doubt that his move west has given his new club a match-winning dimension.

Worcester have managed 209 points in the Guinness Premiership so far this term and the Australian has contributed 114 of those himself.

His most exceptional game was at his old stomping ground, where he notched all of Worcester's 22 points in a thrilling victory.

Unfortunately for the Warriors, Drahm's replacement is the New Zealander Carlos Spencer, who, though a different type of number ten, is capable of inflicting serious damage on opposition defences.

Victory would be a big boost for Warriors in what could prove to be a critical month for their Heineken Cup ambitions. After tomorrow's clash, they entertain Amatori Catania in the European Challenge Cup, before a potential make-or-break tie in Montpellier.

Then they round January off with a trip to Bristol in another vital Premiership match.

If they don't get the right results, Warriors could find themselves out of Europe and in the wrong half of the Premiership.

Director of rugby John Brain pointed out this week that opponents' tries have not come when Worcester are under pressure.

Both Bath and Newcastle capitalised on errors when Warriors should have been putting the opposition on the back foot.

Brain has got a point. With players coming in and out of the team it has been difficult for the backs to develop understanding.

But, with the expertise of An-thony Eddy and the match-winning capabilities of Aisea Havili and Nicolas Le Roux, it shouldn't be long before Warriors are moving back up the table.