BY beating Newcastle in the manner they did at Sixways two weeks ago, Warriors went a long way to expunging the painful memories of a similarly remarkable night at Kingston Park earlier in the season.

On that occasion, it was Worcester who were the victims of a blow that took them several weeks to recover from. This time around, they hope the momentum gained from that win will spark the kind of finish to the campaign which will guarantee another season of Premiership rugby.

But, if there was a darker day than that Friday in Newcastle, it was the first of the season when all the feverish anticipation built up over the summer was extinguished by a desperately poor display and a crushing defeat to Bristol.

Prior to the match, I suggested the game would provide plenty of clues about how these sides would fare over the course of the season. As it turned out, Worcester were hopelessly outplayed and have been bottom of the table for almost the whole campaign.

Bristol, despite a recent wobble, have been competing at the opposite end of the table and remain on course for a play-off place despite being tipped by many (myself included) as relegation candidates.

Although John Brain's side couldn't muster a single win for almost three months, the Bristol debacle was a low point to which the club have thankfully not returned. Brain described his side's defence as a "work in progress" on the eve of that fixture and it proved a disconcertingly accurate verdict.

After the game, Brain apologised to the fans and head coach Anthony Eddy - who has long since been shown the door - admitted the side were guilty of showing their opponents a lack of respect.

Other theories were banded about as to why Worcester's players were not at the races that day, including the suggestion a rigorous pre-season fitness programme had sapped their energy levels.

As fate would have it, Brain's men now have the opportunity to go some way to righting that particular wrong. Bristol are their next opponents and the stakes are now even higher.

Worcester do not have time to recover from a setback like the one suffered in September and any sort of defeat could leave their survival hopes hanging by a thread.

When the players run out at the Memorial Ground a week on Saturday, it will be 22 days after their last Premiership fixture and they cannot afford the kind of ring-rustiness that blighted their game against Leicester in February, which took place after they emerged from a similar lay-off.

It is hoped the conditioning programme which may have left the players jaded for games at the start of the season is now reaping benefits and, judging by how they performed at the death against Sale and Newcastle, the notion appears far from fanciful.

Let's hope the team can now come full circle, just when it matters the most!