WORCESTER Warriors’ hopes of qualifying for the European Challenge Cup knockout stages suffered a major setback with a comprehensive 34-22 defeat against holders Gloucester at Sixways.

Warriors’ worrying second-half slump continued as they were on the back foot and conceded four tries after the interval against the well-organised visitors.

They held Gloucester 10-10 at the interval but the visitors pulled away after the break with a man-of-the-match display from Billy Burns in front of new England head coach Eddie Jones.

Worcester’s academy prop Gareth Milasinovich was once again dispatched to the sin-bin for his third yellow card in four matches.

Gloucester captain Greig Laidlaw fired the Cherry and Whites ahead with a 35-metre penalty in the ninth minute.

But Warriors hit back with a fine try from Dean Hammond, who sprinted down the touchline after a neat pass from Ben Howard.

With Laidlaw making the covering tackle, Hammond twisted and turned his way over for the first try and Lamb slotted the conversion from the touchline.

Gloucester centre Henry Trinder streaked clear in the 23rd minute after intercepting a pass but the lively Howard gave chase and sprinted 60 metres to make a try-saving tackle.

Warriors struggled at the scrum and Laidlaw’s long-range penalty attempt fell short of the posts.

But the pressure at the Worcester set-piece continued and Milasinovich was yellow-carded in the 31st minute.

Gloucester took the lead in the 34th minute after wing Henry Purdy gathered a cross-field kick from Mark Atkinson to dive over.

Laidlaw’s conversion put Gloucester 10-7 ahead.

Warriors laid siege to the Gloucester line in the closing minutes of the first half after Marco Mama gathered superbly in midfield.

Hooker Jaba Bregvadze and Carl Kirwan were thwarted close in before Lamb kept his cool with a drop-goal to level the scores 10-10 at the interval.

Warriors’ scrum remained under scrutiny in the second half and Purdy grabbed his second try in the 51st minute with Laidlaw converting.

Replacement Rob Cook extended Gloucester’s advantage to 12 points in the 56th minute, squeezing over in the left-hand corner for their third try after a short pass from Burns.

Warriors turned down a kickable penalty in front of the posts and Gloucester were reduced to 14 men when Lewis Ludlow was shown a yellow card.

The hosts struck almost immediately with replacement prop Mike Daniels driven over from a maul and Lamb added the extras.

But Gloucester turned the screw and Steve McColl burst through for their fourth try in the 68th minute and Laidlaw kicked the conversion.

The visitors killed off the match seven minutes from time when replacement Billy Twelvetrees rose to gather Burns’ cross-kick to touch down.

Worcester had the final word in the 79th minute after Darren O’Shea finished a driving maul but it was too little too late.

Warriors: Howard 7; Hammond 6, Grove 6, Symons 6 (Stelling 69), Biggs 6; Lamb 6, Mulchrone 6; Bower 6 (Ruskin 52), Bregvadze 6, Milasinovich 5 (Daniels 57), Sanderson 6 (Barry 57), O'Shea 6, Cox 6, Kirwan 6 (Betty 66), Mama 7. Replacements not used: Sowrey, Arr, Eden.

Attendance: 6,774.