WORCESTER Warriors claimed a losing bonus point from a 24-22 defeat but they could have left Gloucester with a famous Aviva Premiership victory.

Worcester’s players were furious at the final whistle with referee Craig Maxwell-Keys for penalising Ryan Mills who thought he had won a turnover in front of Gloucester’s posts.

Maxwell-Keys awarded the penalty decision in Gloucester’s favour and the hosts brought the derby to an end.

Gloucester were upset with the official moments earlier after he failed to award the hosts a penalty try despite penalising Warriors four times at a defensive scrum five metres out.

Maxwell-Keys yellow-carded prop Nick Schonert after the fourth successive offence and, with Joe Rees injured, the game would have reverted to uncontested scrums.

With their scrum dominance eroded, Gloucester kicked for an attacking line-out which was stolen by Darren Barry and gave Worcester a last chance to break which they almost capitalised on.

Jonny May had a try chalked off late in the match for a forward pass spotted by an assistant referee.

Worcester were found wanting at the scrum against an experienced Gloucester front row of Paddy McAllister, Richard Hibbard and John Afoa. But there’s no doubting the organisation, spirit and attitude of Warriors’ defence.

Donncha O’Callaghan, Tevita Cavubati, Niall Annett and Phil Dowson were all outstanding particularly as the visitors were starved of possession in the first half.

Worcester’s willingness to defend for long periods with discipline remains clear and they were more potent than the hosts in attack.

While Gloucester struggled to turn their possession into points, Warriors were clinical.

Replacement fly-half Ryan Lamb added zip to Warriors’ attack and was influential in their third try moments after coming on for Tom Heathcote.

Cooper Vuna finished with two tries and Niall Annett also crossed the whitewash for Worcester.

Gloucester stormed into a second-minute lead with a catch-and-drive try from Hibbard but Billy Twelvetrees missed the conversion and Warriors hit back almost immediately.

Bill Meakes’s pass from inside his own 22 was intercepted by Vuna who had an easy run-in and Heathcote added the extras.

Twelvetrees’ first penalty restored Gloucester’s lead, awarded at a scrum, before the hosts stretched their advantage.

Turnover ball then led to another Gloucester score. David Halaifonua made ground before May and Matt Kvesic combined to send Sione Kalamafoni over.

A second Twelvetrees penalty, from a scrum offence, put Gloucester 16-7 ahead but a long-range kick from Mills kept Warriors in the contest.

Warriors went ahead after Chris Pennell’s grubber was hacked into touch by May. From the resulting line-out, Warriors set up a catch-and-drive which was dotted down by Annett and converted by Heathcote.

Warriors were penalised at yet another scrum and Twelvetrees’ penalty put Gloucester 19-17 ahead. The Gloucester skipper had another shot at the posts before the break but his attempt bounced off the upright.

Worcester soaked up pressure at the beginning of the second-half and then struck. Gerrit-Jan van Velze took clean line-out ball and fed Mills, who combined with Lamb to send Pennell racing down the left. His pass put Vuna away for his second try.

The decisive score for Gloucester arrived after Twelvetrees was replaced. The lively Billy Burns found Charlie Sharples and his offload gave Halaifonua room to brush past Tom Biggs.

But the drama was far from over. May had an effort disallowed and Gloucester were unlucky not to get a penalty try. But Wynand Olivier’s stunning break at the death almost set up a remarkable Worcester triumph.