CAPTAIN Charlie Wright is tipping Worcester's young side to improve with experience after a 5-1 friendly defeat at Bristol-based Robinsons.

They had a tough task in the second match of their warm-up to the new Coaching Solutions League campaign against title chasers from the south-west.

Worcester, who welcomed back Lee Irish and Alex Kotlarzewski, had been lifted by a solid win at Evesham the previous week.

The game started positively for both sides but Worcester shaded the early territorial advantage.

They forced an early penalty corner which was fired just wide but gave away two goals through errors.

Rob Allen pulled one back with a sharp finish before the interval.

The second-half was not so good for the new-look side who conceded three more goals.

Wright admitted: "It was a bit disappointing. We have guys good enough to be on the pitch but many slightly lack men's hockey at this level.

"The second-half performance was disappointing, we lost our shape and the game became disjointed but there were some positives in Rob Allen's performance. Tom Drew had a good game as did Mike Fulsom.

"The squad all realise the hard work ahead but I am confident we can get there in time for a successful league campaign."

Worcester tackle Stourport on Saturday at Nunnery Wood Sports Centre.

Stourport 5 Worcester 2nds 1

Strong Stourport eventually prospered but Worcester started well.

The home side went ahead late in the first-half with a stunning finish and added a second goal.

Worcester came out of the blocks quickly in the second-half and Kit Wrightson's drag flick was deflected in by Ewan Bell.

They began to attack Stourport through wide men Harry Travers and Tom Lewis but were unable to make the breakthrough.

Stourport put the game beyond doubt with three break-away goals.

Worcester 3rds 2 Stourport 2

An even first-half was pinched by Stourport with a late goal and a silly mistake gifted them a second.

But Worcester pulled together and were rewarded with short corners leading to two excellent Sharratt goals.

Stourport 1 Worcester 4ths 1

Worcester started brightly in their first game of the season.

After five minutes of attacking play, orchestrated by the dominant York Senior and Dominic Harris, Howes finished off a fine move.

Worcester kept the initiative with new recruits, Steve Poole and Mark Evans, fitting in superbly.

Unlucky

Early in the second-half, Stourport came back to score an equaliser but Worcester were unlucky not to convert their superiority into more goals.

Worcester 5ths 3 Stourport 2

Plenty of youngsters were given a senior game after being promoted from the Badgers.

The visitors opened the scoring from a mis-hit cross but Worcester struck back when a good move was finished off by newcomer Douglas Marshall.

Young players Alistair Mackichen, Gareth Bannister and Dominic O'Loghlen impressed, while Chris Rayers came back from 15 months of injury and scored two good goals.

Stourport grabbed a second but could not do enough to draw.

Stourport 8 Worcester 6ths 4

Worcester faced a tough first challenge against strong opposition and conceded two quick goals.

John McCloud scored one and Simon Tinley two in a hard-fought half which ended 4-3 to Stourport.

Stourport defied strong defending to snatch two more goals. The city managed a fourth through Tinley but their opponents added two more.

Worcester 7ths 1 Stourport 4

The sevenths should have wrestled more out of the match and went close twice, going into the interval 1-0 down.

Stourport scored again in the second-half and though Worcester replied through Simons, two more strikes from the opposition sealed the game.