DIRECTOR of rugby Dean Ryan will be urging his Worcester Warriors players to be more clinical in Sunday’s clash against Nottingham at Lady Bay Sports Ground (3pm).

Warriors are top of the Greene King IPA Championship after Bristol lost their unbeaten record yesterday, squandering a 21-10 lead in a 45-38 defeat at Cornish Pirates.

Ryan said Warriors were pleased to get through Saturday’s turgid battle against Doncaster Knights, which they eventually won 25-5.

Warriors led 5-0 in a dour first-half before a brace from Sam Betty, a well-taken try from Tom Biggs and a spectacular solo effort from prop Mike Daniels pulled the hosts clear in the final stages.

Doncaster paid a heavy price for Bevon Armitage’s 64th-minute yellow card and the two teams could be paired when the British and Irish Cup semi-final draw is announced today.

“We are just pleased to get through that and it gives us an opportunity to challenge ourselves to be a little bit more clinical,” said Ryan.

“We have some really threatening pace across the team but it was frustrating that we left so much out there and we have to challenge our - selves to be more clinical.

“In terms of the contest, Doncaster were very physical and, tactically, they squeezed that first 40 minutes and I thought the game was on the line at half-time.

“We showed real courage to play into the wind to take the game away.

“I just wished we had been a bit more clinical, which would have changed the dynamics of the game.”

The win lifted Warriors to the top of the table after their 12th successive league victory.

Doncaster, coached by former Warrior Clive Griffiths, frustrated Worcester in the opening half and kept the ball tight in the forwards.

Prop Nick Schonert was taken off in the opening half with a nasty head injury and his replacement Daniels gave an encouraging display and raced from deep to score a thrilling try.

“I don’t think he ever wants to run that far again,” joked Ryan.

“Mike had a good game – he stabilised the scrum a little bit and looked dynamic.

“We know he’s got real pace.

When he found himself in space, I don’t think he could believe it.

“I don’t think the scrum-half who chased him could believe it either.”

Fourth-placed Nottingham are next in line for Warriors.

The East Midlands outfit, who lost 12-10 at Jersey at the weekend, are no longer playing matches at Notts County’s Meadow Lane Ground.

They switched to Lady Bay Sports Ground last month.

“I have not been there and played and I haven’t seen it,” said Ryan.

“We might go to have a look at it.

“We have to go and look at the threats they pose. They have been pretty much in contention across the season so we will need to put down a bit of a marker.”

Warriors full-back Chris Pennell gave a rock solid per - formance for England Saxons in a hard-fought 18-9 win against Ireland Wolfhounds in Cork on Friday night