Worcester up after thrilling finish

27 May 2015 08:47

Worcester secured a quickfire Aviva Premiership return after a remarkable climax to the Championship final second leg at Sixways.

Full-back Chris Pennell's try with just 25 seconds left, followed by a Ryan Lamb conversion with the game's final kick, secured a remarkable 30-30 draw and saw Warriors home 59-58 on aggregate.

Second-half tries by flanker Jack Lam, centre Jack Tovey and substitute Matthew Morgan during a devastating 11-minute spell, plus 15 points from fly-half Nicky Robinson, looked to have seen Bristol home.

But Pennell and Lamb had other ideas as the Warriors secured an aggregate triumph by a single point after Bristol had been reduced to 14 men following skipper Dwayne Peel's yellow card.

Worcester led by 10 points at the break following a Pennell try, Lamb conversion and three penalties - but they failed to score a point between the 35th and 75th minutes, until Lamb converted a penalty try following relentless forward pressure - then came up trumps at the climax.

For Bristol, it was a case of play-off promotion agony for a fourth time since 2009, and they will remain in the Championship for at least another season as Worcester began wild celebrations to mark a Premiership reappearance just 12 months after they were relegated

Source: PA