“FRUSTRATION doesn’t scratch the surface of what the coaches are thinking,” admitted Dean Ryan in the wake of Warriors’ disappointing Amlin Challenge Cup home defeat to Sale Sharks.

Despite having been comprehensively out-played for most of the game, Worcester had two late chances to snatch a losing bonus point, but were the architects of their own downfall on both occasions.

Firstly a line-out in the Sharks’ 22 was thrown not-straight, then the hosts were guilty of a crooked scrum feed when well positioned to cross the visitors’ whitewash and these lapses of concentration are driving Ryan and his team to distraction.

“We are struggling with detail and we are struggling with emotion – it’s like a see-saw,” the Worcester chief said. “If we get one right, we drop the other, but that is a responsibility we have to get right.

“I was unhappy at half-time, but the fact that got a response means that we got the first 40 minutes wrong.

“It’s wrong for me to be the catalyst for a response. This club and the playing group are responsible for that and being 24-3 down is irrelevant because that is an easy place to go out and play positively – 0-0 is a difficult place to do that.

“(Agustin) Creevy is a powerful man and a great ball-carrier, while it was the first time we’ve had a big man in the middle of the line-out with (Mariano) Galarza, we have to stop pretending that they are the cavalry that will solve all of our problems.

“They’re two good players – and that will be three when we get Leo Senatore available too – but we have a responsibility as a group to get better and show how much we care about this place.”

Ryan also called upon the long-suffering Sixways fans to keep the faith.

He added: “I think that if you are a supporter of Worcester Warriors, then you have to support when times are tough. We have to be better at the things we can control and I don’t know another answer.

“There are plenty of people who think they know an answer, but there is nothing more to it at the moment than working hard and demonstrating the right characteristics.

“This club also has to understand what the challenges are for it to be a successful Premiership club.

“Selection is key – I have to find the right way of challenging this group to get a response.

“I won’t pretend that Exeter, or whatever else is round the corner, gets any easier.

“This group – collectively and culturally – needs to be better and that doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”