BACKS coach Sam Vesty was unhappy with Worcester Warriors’ first-half execution in their 31-21 triumph against Exeter Chiefs at Sixways.

And he felt it would have been a “different ball game” if Exeter had fielded a strong side in the Anglo-Welsh Cup clash.

Two Josh Adams tries and further scores from David Denton, Tom Howe and Luke Baldwin saw Warriors register their first win over Chiefs since 2004.

But Worcester took time to get going against their weakened opponents who went 14-0 up inside the first 20 minutes.

“I thought we played a lot of good rugby,” said Vesty whose side visit Dragons on Friday (7.30pm).

“Our execution was poor in the first half and we gave a couple of cheap tries away off the back of our mistakes.

“But, on the whole, we tried to do the right things and in the second half our execution was much better and we got the rewards off the back of it.”

Ten of Warriors’ starting 15 that lined up against Bath in their last Aviva Premiership game earlier this month faced Exeter.

In stark contrast only two of Chiefs’ 23-man matchday squad that visited Sixways travelled to Newcastle Falcons in their previous league game.

“That’s testament to what a good club Chiefs are and the good coaching group they have there,” Vesty continued.

“Even though they did not have their strongest team out you get a very efficient unit who just grind you down and compete for everything.

“When you are cheap with the ball like we were in that first half a couple of times they can hurt you.”

After falling behind to two converted tries, Adams and Denton went over either side of Ollie Atkins’ sin-binning to close the gap to 14-12 at half-time.

A converted Howe try put Warriors ahead for the first time before Exeter regained the lead when Shaun Malton touched down and Joe Simmonds added the extras.

But Adams grabbed his second before Baldwin took advantage of Wilhelm Van Der Sluys’ yellow card to wrap up the victory.

“There were some really good bits from us throughout the whole of that game,” Vesty said.

“We created a lot of opportunities and our execution got us across the line in that last 20 minutes to put the match to bed.

“But we kept giving them a sniff and a young Exeter team very nearly made us pay.

“If that was against a very strong Exeter side that would have been a different ball game.”

Warriors travel to Chiefs in the Premiership on Saturday, February 10 and Vesty was hopeful his side would have improved by then.

“We are trying to do the right things,” he added.

“That’s all we ever want them to do and we will work on our execution in training and try to get better.

“It is really important that our key guys keep playing and keep sharp.

“The only way to be Premiership game ready is to keep playing them.”