WARRIORS fell to a seventh consecutive Aviva Premiership defeat as Bath exerted better control of the ball to secure a 21-6 victory at rain-lashed Sixways.
However, despite another demoralising loss for Dean Ryan’s men, there were a few glimmers of hope that the season isn’t necessarily dead and buried just yet.
While the Argentinian trio of Leo Senatore, Agustin Creevy and Mariano Galarza will now miss the rest of November as they link up with the Pumas for the Autumn Internationals, they showed they can really add to Warriors’ pack.
Yet, Worcester’s Achilles’ heel was once again poor execution in the heat of the moment as they lost control of the ball in the slippery conditions far too often by opting for an expansive pass rather than keeping things tight.
Bath out-scored Worcester two tries to none, but it could have been a very different story as Dean Hammond had what would have been his first score for the club chalked off by the TMO, while Creevy dropped the ball metres from the line when the visitors butchered a line-out.
Added to that the two presentable penalty chances Paul Warwick missed, then Worcester could have been right in contention for that maiden win as the game reached its final stages.
As is your lot when struggling for form and confidence, though, Warriors were again left to rue what might have been and lick their wounds following another confidence-sapping defeat.
Bath opened the scoring with a George Ford penalty from right in front of the sticks when Warriors loosehead Ofa Fainga’anuku was hit for not rolling away and the young stand-off soon added another, more difficult, kick.
Ford then made it 9-0 but, minutes later, South African youngster Hammond had his effort ruled out and Worcester imploded by conceding a ridiculously poor try.
A breakdown in communication at a line-out on their five-metre line saw Creevy throw the ball straight to an unchallenged Matt Garvey. Bath poured forward and two passes to the right allowed prop Anthony Perenise to crash through Creevy’s attempted tackle.
Ford added a superb conversion from out wide, before Worcester were finally able to open their account when Warwick found the target after Bath were hit for not releasing the man in the tackle. The home fans dared to dream when Warwick made it 16-6 shortly afterwards, but it wasn’t to be and Creevy wasted a big chance in similar circumstances to the try he inadvertently set up for the visitors.
Bath threw a line-out long and it fell to the Argentinian in space, but he could only fumble the ball forward, which was a microcosm of Warriors’ night.
Bath took advantage to kill of the hosts’ challenge when replacement Horacio Agulla scored with his first touch, stripping the ball from Hammond and coasting over unopposed.
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