WORCESTER Colts beat a battling Billingham side 30-12 to move into the semi-finals of the National Colts Cup.

The game was a fast turnaround for Billingham who only the week before travelled to Dudley Kingswinford under 18s and beat them 27-11 in the fifth round to remain undefeated this season.

Billingham came to Worcester with a squad of 25, including four players from the Newcastle Falcons academy and a full-back from the England elite academy set-up.

Clearly the long journey south didn’t faze them as they started the game well.

The majority of play was between the 22s until a charged down clearance kick was gathered by the Billingham winger who scored in the corner on seven minutes. The conversion was missed.

This served to wake up the Worcester players.

Their pack had the ascendancy over the opposition and on 16 minutes, from a catch and drive, Tom Bedford touched down from the back of a powerful driving maul. The difficult conversion was missed.

The Worcester forwards continued to exert their superior strength and technique and the pressure told with a penalty from Aly Duddell on 30 minutes giving his side an 8-5 lead.

Close to halftime, relentless rucking from Worcester produced quick ball which was worked out to the left and Paul Burman, showing strength and pace, burst through two tackles for a try converted by Duddell.

In the second-half, Worcester played with greater confidence and, after 10 minutes, they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts and Duddell made no mistake.

Billingham realised time was running out and they made several threatening runs. A huge covering tackle by winger Callum Neal snuffed out one certain try and two minutes later he used his electric pace to intercept a sloppy pass in midfield and sprint 70 metres to score a try under the posts, which was converted by Duddell.

This should have broken Billingham’s hearts but, after out-mauling the Worcester pack, they forced quick ball to score, an excellent try which was duly converted.

With two minutes to go the athletic Brad Cook broke free for Worcester and jinked his way towards the opposition try line before feeding Jo Wrafter who scored an unconverted try in the corner.