Worcester and Bath in dour draw
Worcester Warriors and Bath played the a dull 12-all draw in their Guinness Premiership encounter at Sixways on Friday.
Willie Walker kicked his fourth penalty in the 76th minute, to match the four of Ryan Davis and secure his team two valuable points from a tryless game.
For Bath the result continued their winless Premiership form, as they last won in the league more than two months ago and remain second from bottom of the table.
In fact Bath’s abject season was summed up when lock Danny Grewcock was denied a first-half score by Miles Benjamin and Sam Tuitupou – who gang-tackled him to dislodge the ball as the veteran went over the line.
In a game of ordinary skills and poor execution by both teams, Walker gave his team the lead in the 11th minute.
Davis ensured the visitors held a 6-3 lead at the break with penalties in 26th and 33rd minutes.
Walker levelled the scorers in the 49th minute, but Bath went ahead in the 55th minute. The kick-fest continued when Walker made it 9-all in the 59th minute, before Davis restored Bath’s lead three minutes later.
And Walker landed the match-tying penalty in the 76th minute.
In the end it was a fair result in a bruising, but uninspiring, game.
Bath were enterprising at times, but Worcester would have won but for vital errors at crucial times.
The scorers:
For Worcester Warriors:
Pens: Walker 4
For Bath:
Pens: Davis 4
Yellow card: Sam Tuitupou (Worcester, 66 – foul play, shoulder charge)
The teams:
Worcester Warriors: 15 Chris Latham, 14 Marcel Garvey, 13 Dale Rasmussen, 12 Sam Tuitupou, 11 Miles Benjamin, 10 Willie Walker, 9 Ryan Powell, 8 Kai Horstmann, 7 Pat Sanderson (captain), 6 Tom Wood, 5 Craig Gillies, 4 Greg Rawlinson, 3 Tevita Taumoepeau, 2 Aleki Lutui, 1 Callum Black.
Replacements: 16 Adam Black, 17 Chris Fortey, 18 Olivier Sourgens, 19 Graham Kitchener, 20 Jake Abbott, 21 Jonny Arr, 22 Calum MacRae, 23 Rico Gear.
Bath: 15 Nick Abendanon, 14 Matt Carraro, 13 Shontayne Hape, 12 Ben Williams, 11 Jack Cuthbert, 10 Ryan Davis, 9 Michael Claassens (captain), 8 Luke Watson, 7 Julian Salvi, 6 Ben Skirving, 5 Danny Grewcock, 4 Peter Short, 3 Aaron Jarvis, 2 Pieter Dixon, 1 David Flatman.
Replacements: 16 Mears, 17 Catt, 18 Lilley, 19 Hobson, 20 Browne, 21 Bemand, 22 Roberts, 23 Stephenson.
Referee: Wayne Barnes
