WORCESTER director of rugby John Brain believes the next two games are crucial to his side's ambitions of staying in the Premiership for another season.

Brain watched his side complete a 21-15 win over Bath on Saturday, which puts them within four points of closest rivals Northampton at the bottom of the table.

And now he wants his charges to carry that form into their matches at Sale and at home to Newcastle.

"It's possible for us to turn a four-point gap around," said Brain. "We've had a bit of a rocky period since Christmas but we have been playing the likes of Wasps, Leicester and Gloucester.

"We play Sale on Friday who are struggling a bit and we play Newcastle a week on Friday.

"Those teams are all in the middle of the table and those are winnable games for Worcester. The next two games are absolutely vital for us."

The Bath victory was built on Worcester's dominance at the scrum and particularly the line-out.

"Bath have a strong set-piece," said Brain. "The key to the game was we managed to undermine their set-piece.

"I think (England forwards coach) John Wells turned up to watch Matt Stevens, Lee Mears, Danny Grewcock and Steve Borthwick and he found himself watching Tony Windo, Craig Gillies and Tevita Taumoepeau.

"We managed to dismantle their line-out, which not many teams do.

"Prior to this game, they won 37 out of their last 38 line-outs with Steve Borthwick in it. That was a nice stat to wave at our players.

"I was disappointed in the first-half that we didn't score more points.

"And I was also disappointed with the way we reacted as a team after we scored our second try. I just felt we took our foot off the pedal and allowed them to score.

"It was a good performance by a number of players and, with other results, gives us an opportunity to get out of this mess."

Brain paid tribute to the character of a side who had suffered an agonising defeat to Gloucester just seven days earlier.

Thinus Delport scored two tries for Warriors with Shane Drahm adding a conversion and three penalties after returning from injury.

"We have always had a strong character and a good spirit," he said. "It has never faltered. They are a group of guys who enjoy each other's company.

"The players and the coaching staff have a good relationship and that is bound to count for something at some stage.

"The character of these players is not in question."

Brain confirmed James Brown (head), Drahm (hamstring) and Pat Sanderson (hand) all suffered injuries but says he needs more time to assess how serious they are.