Saturday, January 17, 2004

SUDDENLY the agony turned to ecstasy.

Come the final whistle at Orrell, Worcester -- so often proclaimed the perennial bridesmaids that they had become married to the clich -- were at last on the verge of the honeymoon.

After the miseries of Headingley, Clifton Lane and Millmoor, this victory was a vindication of Cecil Duckworth's Premiership dream and one which is now tantalisingly within reach.

Undoubtedly, though, those painful defeats played some part in this success. The 'trophy signings' were nowhere to be seen. The powder puff pack was certainly not in evidence while these 'chokers', so often attributed to Worcester, had gone missing. This triumph was one built on character, determination and, critically, composure.

It has been one of the major missing ingredients in the past but in Wigan, Worcester never looked likely to throw away a lead built up by a dedication to a game plan which worked a treat. The formula of keeping a defensive shape, exerting pressure and waiting for the penalties eventually did for Orrell as they failed to cope with the visitors' speed, physicality and quick thinking. Winning ugly? Perhaps but, after so many near misses, who cares?

The amount of errors on show dictated that it was never going to be a classic game of rugby for the 3,000 plus crowd but the contest was never less than compelling. James Brown and Scott Barrow illustrated an undeniable dichotomy of the fly half art. One was calmness personified while the other looked utterly lost within a role which, plainly, was foreign to him.

Left out of last season's humdinger with Rotherham, Brown was always going to start this one at Edge Hall Road such has been his form this season. He responded by running the show with a poise which once earmarked him as a future England international, pegging Orrell back time after time with a glorious range of kicking.

Tommy Hayes had to be content with a full back role but it was the former Cook Island international who continued to haunt Orrell with his boot.

Hayes, who launched a 60-metre wonder kick through the posts in the September win over the Lancastrians, was on target once again in the seventh minute. Following Leigh Hinton's woefully short second minute penalty, Hayes slotted the three points after an offside was spotted by referee Ashley Rowden.

Twenty two minutes later and Hayes had made it 9-0 following some more basic Orrell indiscipline and Worcester, once again dominating in the scrum and lineout, looked in absolute control. There were the odd moments of concern but Gavin Pfister and Chris Garrard's tackling denied Andy Craig from sprinting into the corner and Orrell's best chance of the first half had gone.

It was dj vu for Hinton, two minutes into the second period, when he scuffed another eminently kickable penalty and, barely 60 seconds later, the importance of the miss was clear to see.

Brown's clearance into touch was thrown, in a quite suicidal moment, back into play by Barrow and Nick Easter was penalised for holding on as a rampant Warriors side descended upon him. It was a pass which characterised the former Worcester man's display - wrong decisions at the wrong time.

Brown - taking over kicking responsibilities because of Hayes' hamstring injury - slotted over the fourth penalty of the day with the minimum of fuss and, at 12-0, it was going to take something special for Orrell to wrestle this game back.

Rod Penney did his best to provide the spark just after the hour. The centre took the ball from inside his own 22 and flashed past an initial challenge before scorching around Garrard's and then Brown's efforts for a breathtaking try. The score, which Hinton converted to bring Orrell back within five points, was a moment which could have easily begun the comeback.

That it didn't was down to Worcester's survival instincts. Back to basics they went with lineout ball won at the front before a driving maul saw Orrell, somewhat harshly, penalised for pulling down.

With the pressure bearing down upon him, Brown rose to the challenge and popped over the penalty as cool as you like and, suddenly, Worcester were once again two scores ahead.

They never relinquished that lead although Easter's glorious last-minute chance should have been snapped up. Ultimately, his lack of composure at the vital moment cost his side and summed up Orrell's nervy performance.

This, though, was Worcester's day. In the wake of soul destroying defeats in the past, nothing could dilute the euphoria around the Sixways camp when Rowden called an end to proceedings. It was a moment where, in a flash, the demons of the past were laid to rest and the future became gloriously clear.

Worcester are finally knocking on the Premiership door.

Worcester: Hayes 8; O'Leary 8, Hinshelwood 9, Trueman 7, Garrard 7; Brown 9, Swanepoel 7; LWINDO 10, Daly 8, Lyman 9, Gabey 8, Gillies 9, C Evans 8, Pfister 9, Hickey 8.

Replacements: Powell 7 (Swanepoel 49), Davies 7 (Hayes 42), Hall, Fortey (Lyman 80), Bates 7 (Pfister 64), Zaltzman (Gabey 80), Earnshaw 7 (C Evans 55).

Man of the match: Tony Windo -- Captain Marvel on a day to remember for the veteran.