FRUSTRATED head coach Carl Hogg admitted Worcester Warriors let Sale Sharks “off the hook” in Saturday’s pulsating 34-34 Aviva Premiership draw at Sixways.

Warriors fought back from a 17-5 deficit to lead 31-17 with less than 30 minutes remaining only for the visitors to finish strongly and snatch a draw.

“We got off to a slow start and Sale came out of the blocks firing but we got ourselves back in the game and looked a good side just before half-time,” said Hogg, whose side led 19-17 at the break.

“In the second half we extended the lead with the wind (behind us) and we had about two or three opportunities to put the game to bed which we missed.

“Then ill-discipline probably gave Sale a foothold back in the game.”

Winless Warriors have now drawn two matches at home and lost twice on the road. “It’s an opportunity missed,” rued Hogg.

“I am very frustrated and disappointed with it. When we have got ball in hand and are patient, we looked a dangerous side.

“34 points and five tries should be enough to win a contest and we have to look at things defensively and our discipline around defence.

“Good sides turn tight games into wins. This was different to the Gloucester game because after we went down to 14 men in that match we showed a huge amount of resilience.

“We had an opportunity to put this game to bed which we missed out on.”

Sale director of rugby Steve Diamond said he would have settled for a draw at the interval and believes Warriors are “a better side than last year”.

“Worcester are a better side than last year and, on that paddock, play well on it,” Diamond said.

“If somebody had said to me at half-time whether I would have taken a draw, I would have.”

He added: “The pitch is as good as anywhere.

“It’s a great surface and the pitch enabled us to play and I am glad we got our driving maul back on kilter and back into the game because at 31-17 down I thought it had gone too far away from us.”

The Sale chief was disappointed with referee JP Doyle whom he claimed should have shown a couple of yellow cards to Warriors in the second half.

“They have come from an environment with Dean Ryan and he’s taught Hoggy well,” said Diamond.

“In my book, there were two yellow cards needed in that second half.

“You can’t give away penalty after penalty after penalty five metres out and nothing happens from it. I will be contacting Tony Spreadbury (Rugby Football Union head of referees) about that.”