SECOND-half goals sentenced Worcester men’s firsts to another Midlands Hockey League Division One defeat — 4-2 at fifth-placed Rugby and East Warwickshire.

The bottom-of-the-table city side set themselves up to be hard to break down and hit back to level through Jack Ferman from Ben Cooke’s pass after falling behind.

Worcester bossed the early stages of the second half only to concede.

Cooke again created an equaliser with Matt Gardener smashing home his shot and Worcester continued to impress.

But keeper Tom Dalton had to make a fine save and Rugby’s pressure resulted in two more goals to triumph.

The firsts lost 3-0 at Warwick the previous weekend.

Worcester seconds lost 5-1 at leaders University of Birmingham thirds in the West Midlands Premier with Jez Drake scoring.

The thirds did much better against University of Birmingham fourths in the South West Premier after losing 14-1 this season.

This time Worcester fell 5-4 to a late goal after leading with keeper Austin Shipley voted man of the match.

Brett Pittam's hat-trick put Worcester 2-1 and 3-2 up and Nick Power gave them a 4-3 advantage but the students pulled through in the end.

The men’s fourths enjoyed a 6-2 win at Barford Tigers fourths in South West Two.

Billy Forrester-Walker bagged his second hat-trick in as many weeks with Worcester’s top scorer Matthew Sharratt adding two and Niall O’Kane one.

The fifths lost 6-2 at home to Sutton Coldfield fourths in South West Two with a brace from Tom Howard.

The sixths beat the sevenths 2-1 in South West Three with a Terry Duffy brace and Russell Boatman replying.

The women’s firsts won a home friendly with Telford.

Abigail Marsh, Vicky Howell, Holly Smith and Ellie Summers scored in the first half.

They conceded two goals in the second period but Tash Walker made it 5-2. The seconds beat Lansdown 3-1.

In the Worcestershire League, Worcester thirds lost 3-0 to Old Halesonians and the fourths fell 3-2 to Tenbury with Bryony Miller among the scorers.

Fin Goodman (3), Harry Dorman (2), Oscar Rose and Zac Goodman fired Worcester Badgers Potters to a 7-1 win over Bromsgrove Red.