Saturday, February 8, 2003

HAVING racked up more than 800 league points this season, it is easy to see why Worcester's att-acking reputation is well founded.

Their success at Bedford, though, was built on solidity rather than fluidity. To score seven tries at Goldington Road is an achievement. But to come away from there, in front of their biggest crowd since the halcyon days of the Premiership, having not conceded a try is something else.

Certainly it spoke volumes for the impact Billy McGinty has had since his arrival as defensive coach last year.

And for coach Andy Keast it was the ideal chance to reflect on McGinty's efforts.

"He's absolutely focused," said Keast. "He's been fantastic and Billy has added that extra edge.

"He certainly deserves a lot of credit because he has done a good job.

"People can see that after this performance at Bedford. I remember when Billy first came in and we'd just conceded four tries at Manchester. Our defence today was quite a contrast to that."

The result was all the more impressive considering the amount of second half pressure Worcester had to withstand.

Bedford were unrecognisable from the shoddy outfit which lost 69-10 at Sixways back in October.

Indeed, this time around they looked distinctly handy.

Three points up after seven minutes through James Pritchard's penalty, Worcester had to dig deep.

However, once Craig Chalmers had sidestepped two challenges before putting in Nnamdi Ezulike for the opening try, they didn't look back.

Ten minutes later, after Bedford's lineout misfired, Chalmers was again involved as Craig Quinnell crashed over under the posts for the second of the day.

The fly half, in for the hamstrung Tim Walsh, added the conversion and Worcester were beginning to fire.

Those flames were doused a little following another Pritchard penalty but they had the final word of the half when Tony Windo was driven over just before the break.

It was a textbook try from the Worcester pack after the dominant Craig Gillies had secured ball from the lineout and illustrated just how flexible the Warriors can be when needed.

Chalmers hit the extra points from a tight angle to give the visitors a 19-6 lead at half time.

Bedford came out all guns blazing in the second period and immediately added another Pritchard penalty.

With James Brown and Will Wigram on for Chalmers and Gary Trueman, Worcester were given a speed boost early in the half, one which was to bear fruit soon after.

Duncan Roke made a trademark burst from centre and, after sidestepping a weak challenge, he set up Ezulike for a speedy fourth try.

And that was that. Bonus point secured it was now a matter of improving points difference.

Bedford began to dominate possession but Worcester always had the extra threat on the counter.

Roke again illustrated that threat on 53 minutes when he touched down following a Bedford error and full back Chris Catling finished off another counter attack with 12 minutes left to leave the majority of the 2,227 crowd with the blues.

Bedford poured forward looking for the consolation try but Worcester, ala Exeter, hung on in there and made tackle after tackle count despite some off the ball shenanigans.

The final word, however, came from the hat-trick hero. Ezulike, set up brilliantly by Brown's looping pass, sailed over to complete his first treble for the club.

Brown added his third conversion of the half and Worcester could reflect on yet another character-building victory.

A similar success at Orrell next weekend and, you have to suspect, a trip to Goldington Road may not be on the agenda next season.

Worcester: Catling 6, Ezulike 8, Roke 6, Trueman 6, Garrard 6, Chalmers 6, Swanepoel 7; Windo 7, Hall 8, Lyman 8, Zaltzman 8, GILLIES 9, Quinnell 6, Pfister 7, Evans 7.

Replacements: O'Reilly 6 (Swanepoel 64), Brown 7 (Chalmers 40), Wigram 7 (Trueman 43), Pearl 6 (Hall 70), Olver 6 (Lyman 64), Morgan 6 (Zaltzman 70), Jenner.

Man of the match: Craig Gillies - powerful performance from the lock.