WARRIORS were left to rue a woeful display of goal-kicking as they slipped to a 21-18 LV= Cup defeat to Leicester Tigers at Sixways tonight.

Paul Warwick and Andy Symons contrived to miss 13 points, which ultimately proved the difference between the two sides, and undermined what was an encouraging display by Dean Ryan’s men in front 9,855 fans — the biggest crowd of the campaign. New recruit Symons came up short with his first effort after the Warriors pack forced an early penalty.

However, he more than made up for that in the fifth minute with a try against the side that released him as a youngster. Max Stelling made a superb break from his 22, before Symons and Mariano Galarza took the ball on and smart hands from Jake Abbott sent the big inside-centre over the line. Warwick missed the simple conversion.

The home fans were in dreamland minutes later when Symons turned provider to return the favour for Abbott to dive gleefully over, but it remained 10-0 as Warwick was again poor from the tee.

Owen Williams opened the visitors’ account with a penalty when Warriors went in at the side, before try-scorer Abbott limped off to be replaced by former Tiger Richard de Carpentier.

Symons missed his second kick of the match — arguably the easiest of the lot — and Williams then showed the way to kick goals by landing a tough effort from out wide to make it 10-6.

A superb last-ditch tackle by Jonny Arr denied his old team-mate Miles Benjamin a try on the stroke of half-time, but referee Neil Hennessy sent Sam Betty to the sin-bin for killing the ball as Tigers piled forward.

The 14 men held firm though and Williams ultimately settled for a drop-goal to close to within a point.

Early in the second-half, Max Stelling was denied his second try in two games by a marginal forward pass call and Leicester went straight up the other end to score as fine hands from Jordan Crane sent Michael Noone over by the flag. Warwick missed yet another shot at goal, before finally finding the target to bring the biggest cheer of the night and make it a one-point game once again.

Tigers then laid siege to Warriors’ line and, after a spell of intense pressure, Hennessy awarded a penalty try, which Williams converted to make it 21-13.

Worcester refused to give in and Tigers flanker Jamie Gibson was binned for killing the ball as Warriors summoned a late rally.

With seconds left, young second row Christian Scotland-Williamson crashed over to score from a line-out and replacement Ignacio Mieres fired a drop-goal conversion wide as he tried to keep the game going.

However, it was too little, too late as Worcester’s profligate goal-kicking came home to roost.