FULL-TIME...

RICHARD Hill will be delighted to be taking a nine-point advantage back to Sixways for the second leg of the Championship final.

However, he will be well aware of the threat Pirates pose after the hosts enjoyed the better of the second-half here at The Mennaye Field.

The home side edged the second period 6-3 with two Rob Cook kicks to one from Andy Goode.

See tomorrow's Worcester News for a three-page special on the first leg of the final, featuring a full match report, two reaction pieces, stats and pictures.

IT'S been a decent half from Warriors, who lead Pirates 18-6 a quarter of the way through the two-legged Championship final.

Miles Benjamin grabbed an early try for the visitors, before Andy Goode and Rob Cook exchanged penalties.

Former England stand-off Goode then waltzed over for a try, which he improved, to extend Warriors' advantage.

The half ended with Cook and Goode again trading three-pointers.

• Click here for the very latest Worcester Warriors match updates and news - Tom Guest on Twitter.

GOOD evening and welcome to the Mennaye Field for the Worcester News' live coverage of tonight's first leg of the Championship final between Worcester Warriors and Cornish Pirates (7.45pm).

Click the link above to follow live updates of the crucial clash via twitter.

For Warriors, captain Chris Pennell returns to the starting line-up in place of Tom Arscott as one of three changes to the side that edged past Bedford Blues in the semi-final.

Head coach Richard Hill has also brought veteran hooker Chris Fortey into the front row alongside Adam Black and Tevita Taumopeau, while the final change sees a start for flanker Jake Abbott at seven in place of Matt Kvesic.

TEAMS:

Warriors: Pennell; Garvey, Crockett, Rasmussen, Benjamin; Goode, Arr; A Black, Fortey, Taumoepeau, Rawlinson, Gillies, Best, Abbott, Horstmann. Replacements: Lutui, Douglas, Kitchener, Balding, Frost, Carlisle, Grove.

Pirates: Cook; McAtee, Hopper, Luke, Davies; Bentley, Cattle; Andrew, Ward, Paver, Nimmo, Myerscough, Morgan, Burgess, McGlone. Replacements: Storer, Elloway, Rimmer, Holmes, Marriott, Doherty, Locke.