WORCESTER Warriors survived a frantic finale to register a vital win and draw level on points with relegation rivals Northampton Saints.

The visitors thoroughly deserved a victory which keeps alive their chances of beating the drop after they dominated the Premiership champions on their own turf.

Worcester were missing skipper Pat Sanderson with a broken hand but, despite concerns over their fitness, Shane Drahm and James Brown made the starting line-up.

The visitors began like a house on fire and should have gone ahead after just two minutes when Drahm had a penalty in front of the posts. His effort was dragged wide but the visitors went straight back on the attack and were rewarded with the opening try.

Dale Rasmussen broke the line and charged into the Sale 22'. When he was hauled down, the ball was recycled by captain Matt Powell to Brown and the fly-half cut inside before delivering to Drahm, who threw himself through a mass of bodies to score. Brown's conversion drifted wide.

Then followed a lengthy delay for treatment to Sale centre Mark Taylor, who suffered a serious shoulder injury.

Worcester prop Tevita Taumoepaeau left the field temporarily after banging his head and, in the same passage of play, Chris Fortey was penalised for joining the ruck from an off-side position. Daniel Larrechea dispatched the penalty to reduce the gap to two points.

Worcester deservedly extended their advantage in first-half injury time. Drew Hickey won the ball at the back of the line and the Australian almost made the whitewash himself but the ball was eventually grounded by Taumoepeau.

Brown converted but, when Rasmussen failed to roll away at the ruck, Larrechea nailed his second penalty. His third followed shortly when Warriors were penalised for not binding at the scrum.

Brown edged Worcester further ahead with two well-struck penalties and Sale missed a gilt-edged chance of a try when Chris Jones knocked on in the corner.

A last-gasp tackle from Rasmussen prevented a try from Julien Laharrague but the Frenchman scored a drop goal.

Drahm cleared late on when Ben Foden stormed through and Rasmussen scythed down Mark Cueto in the fifth minute of injury time.

Warriors: Drahm; Havili, Rasmussen, Tucker, Delport; Brown, M Powell; Windo, C Fortey (Lutui), Taumoepeau (Morris), Gillies, Murphy (Blaze), Hickey, Harding, Horstmann.

Scorers: Tries: Drahm, Taumoepeau. Conversion: Brown. Penalties: Brown (two).

Referee: Ashley Rowden.

Attendance: 8,376.