91�ȱ�

Simon McIntyre's first-half try helped Wasps to a narrow victory over Worcester Warriors at Adams Park.

Prop McIntyre's score, converted by Wales fly-half Stephen Jones, who also kicked a penalty, earned the hosts a 10-0 lead at half-time.

Warriors veteran Andy Goode landed a penalty and a drop-goal for the visitors in the second half as they looked to get back into the match.

Wasps had to weather late pressure but held on for a second win of the season.

The hosts started strongly with the game's only try after only three minutes.

Billy Vunipola and Joe Launchbury made big inroads into the Worcester defence and good ball retention saw prop McIntyre drive over, Jones converting.

After Goode hit the post with a 35-metre penalty, Jones made no such mistake with an angled kick to give his side a 10-point advantage at the interval.

Early in the second half, a handling error by Andrea Masi allowed Worcester a position in the Wasps' half and, when the hosts were penalised, a Goode penalty gave Warriors their first points.

With half an hour remaining, Goode reduced the arrears to only four points when he fired over a splendid drop-goal from close on 50 metres.

Jones missed another angled penalty for Wasps, allowing Worcester the possibility of an unlikely win.

Inventive play by Paul Hodgson and David Lemi put the visitors into the Wasps' 22 but Aleki Lutui knocked on and the home side were able to relieve the pressure.

Warriors had one final chance but Jon Clarke failed to collect a Goode cross-kick for the winning try before the Wasps withstood four minutes of huge pressure to hang on for a nail-biting win.

Richard Hill's side drop to ninth, with Wasps moving up to eighth.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Wasps director of rugby Dai Youngs:

"We showed a lot of heart and a lot of determination in the last four minutes to keep them out but we shouldn't have been in that position.

"Our ball retention in the green zone and the strike zone was really poor, I thought our kicking game we came second best, they out kicked us when they needed to out kick us.

"And certainly, in the second half, our set pieces fell apart. The scrum fell apart and the line-out was nowhere near as solid and then you end up defending for big periods."

Warriors coach Richard Hill told 91�ȱ� Hereford & Worcester:

"I didn't say a great deal to the players, otherwise I would have blown my top, so I'll wait until Tuesday when they come in and we debrief them.

"There were too many errors and the players are clearly disappointed and angry but, as long as they turn that anger into hard work over the next two or three weeks, we will see what comes out of it.

"That anger will be turned into the right direction to make sure that Sale pay for that when we play them at Sixways in about three weeks' time."

LINE-UPS

Wasps: Southwell; Varndell, Masi, C Bell, Wade; S Jones, Simpson; McIntyre, Lindsay, Taulafo, Palmer, Wentzel, Launchbury, Haskell, Vunipola.

Replacements: Poff for Palmer (23), Daly for Masi (60), Johnson for Haskell (65), Swainston for McIntyre (76).

Worcester: Pennell; Clarke, Grove, Matavesi, Lemi; Goode, Arr; Mullan, Lutui, Andress, Percival, Schofield, Chris Jones, Betty, Kvesic.

Replacements: Fatiaki for Matavesi (51), Gillies for Schofield (60), Cowan for Kvesic (60), Carlisle for Pennell (65), Hodgson for Arr (65), Ceri Jones for Mullan (74), Hayes for Lutui (75), Currie for Andress (75).

Attendance: 5,232.

Referee: Apgeraint Roberts (RFU).