IT TOOK WORCESTER until the 98th minute, and until Bath were down four men and defending the try-line with just 11 players, but they forced a 21-19 home win.

Todd Blackadder’s side led 3-19 at half-time thanks to a Zach Mercer try and Freddie Burns’ four penalties.

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It all turned sour in a Sixways second half that lasted over an hour. Duncan Weir’s boot and a Bryce Heem try narrowed the gap to 11-19 and the Warriors were given the upper hand in personnel as replacement Ross Batty earned a red card for a neck roll with 63 minutes on the clock.

Weir added a penalty to bring Worcester within a score and their pack began to turn the screw, mining a succession of scrum penalties and forcing three yellow cards for Max Lahiff, Lucas Noguera and Aled Brew with the clock already gone red.

18 minutes into added time, with Jamie Roberts converted to flanker, Worcester finally stretched Bath’s 11 men to breaking point, a long pass wide allowing Heem level the game at 19 apiece and Weir sealed the win.

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