DESPITE appalling conditions, Worcester kept their aim of progressing through to the knock-out stages of the second tier of European rugby alive with a second convincing victory over Albi in as many weeks.

The victory kept up the pressure on tournament favourites and Group Five top team Clermont Auvergne.

It sets up a mouth-watering match against the French leaders at Sixways in January.

Saturday evening's game almost didn't go ahead though, as the thick fog which had hung over Albi all day got considerably worse in the hour ahead of kick-off.

Irish referee Simon McDowell decided to go ahead with the match, but the fog meant the large crowd at Stadium de Municipale couldn't see most of the players on the pitch, let alone find reason to cheer.

Worcester's game got off to the worst possible start as they lost two key players to injury within the opening quarter.

Luckily, neither Tony Windo's shoulder nor captain Pat Sanderson's dead leg should keep them out of action for too long.

The team managed to take an early lead through two penalties from fly-half Shane Drahm.

Albi came back strongly though as their useful scrum-half Kevin Boulogne caught the Warriors asleep and ran through from a 22-metre line-out to score the game's first try on 31 minutes.

Full back Frederic Manca then converted to give the home side the lead for the first and only time during the match.

Worcester continued to dominate most of the early possession though.

They were putting the French side under real pressure in the scrum with excellent work from the front row of Chris Horsman, Aleki Lutui and Tevita Taumoepeau.

The fog meant any chances of out-thinking the opposition were virtually non-existent in open play.

But the visitors fought straight back as Ryan Powell took a quick tap-penalty and released replacement back-row Drew Hickey on a 20-metre run up the pitch.

Quick handling from the backs gave a sniff of space to Worcester's former French international centre Thomas Lombard and he slipped in under the posts.

Drahm added the conversion to give Worcester a 13-7 lead at half-time.

Worcester came back fiercely after the break as a third Drahm penalty stretched the scoreline.

They were forcing Albi to make mistakes and further demoralised the French side by making the most of attacking opportunities from turn-over ball.

The decision to show replacement props Chris Horsman and Pierre Correia yellow cards on 52 minutes seemed harsh.

Horsman had totally demolished his opposite number in the set-piece, but both sides found themselves down to 14 men and forced to play uncontested scrums.

Worcester were undaunted though and they stretched the lead even further a minute later.

A kick ahead from Drahm was stolen out of Albi's hands by young wing Uche Oduoza who ran in the Warriors' second try in his first match back after injury. Drahm converted and Worcester enjoyed a 23-7 advantage.

Thankfully, the fog disappeared on 65 minutes and both sides were finally able to play some decent rugby much to the delight of the dozens of Warriors fans who'd made the trip across to France.

Worcester were searching everywhere for two further tries and a possible bonus point, but Albi refused to budge and it was the home team who enjoyed the final say.

Decent pressure up the pitch and a darting break from wing Patrice Serre gave him a much-deserved try two minutes from the final whistle.

It boosted Albi's scoreline in their first competitive match against a foreign side.

Warriors: Best; Garvey, Avramovich, Lombard, Oduoza; Drahm, R Powell; Horstmann, Harding, Sanderson, Collier, Bowley, Taumoepeau, Lutui, Windo. Replacements used: Gotting, Horsman, Hickey, Murphy, Runciman, Brown, Trueman.

Scorers: Tries: Lombard, Oduoza. Conversions: Drahm (two). Penalties: Drahm (three).

Referee: Simon McDowell (Ireland).

Attendance: 2800.