Christmas was all over and forgotten, the fans turned out in their thousands to watch the League leaders take on Coventry. This game would complete half the season, was an opportunity to have beaten every team in the league, could The Warriors make it 13 out of 13.

The packed capacity crowd believed it, The Warriors believed it, now we had to show Coventry. Coventry are an uncompromising team smarting from one of their poorest starts to any season.

They had recruited well over the last few weeks. They were determined to stop Worcester getting that all important bonus point, they should have tried to win!

Coventry got the game underway with a high kick straight down the middle. Giving their captain a chance to show his abilities and his intent.

He certainly leads from the front, a very tough hombre, who consistently played on the edge of legality throughout the whole game. A sterner ref would have despatched him earlier to the bin than eventually ended up.

The constant intimidation from the whole Coventry pack was a sorry state for such a well respected club to get itself  into. Bully boy tactics will not work against this far superior 8.

Worcester did respond at times and must be aware of these nefarious tactics

The Warriors pack once again showed immense strength, skill and nounce, driving the Coventry pack backwards on every single scrum, turning them around faster than Robin Cousins on ice.

The Coventry forwards had no answer apart from delaying tactics, coupled with constant slowing down tactics with numerous feigned injuries. A method which eventually bit them back with all the extra time added on at the ends of both halves.

If the Coventry forwards had shown as much skill as their magnificent mid-field defence then they may very well have pulled off a surprise win!

From the very first line out it was obvious Coventry were going to be in desperate trouble. They had no answer to the inform Craig Gillies apart from the boot and fist.

Some of the clearly targeted physical attacks on Craig Gillies and Werner Swanepoel, should have been severely punished. This was clearly the game plan, as it was consistent in it's execution. However The Warriors took it on the chin and demonstrated how to deal with such lame tactics.

At every opportunity the Worcester pack simply drove them backwards onto the backsides. Only simple handling errors stopped an avalanche of tries being scored in the first 15 minutes, PLUS as stated earlier their magnificent midfield defence

Finally at a line out even before the ball had been thrown in the Coventry 8 attacked Craig Gillies, in their desperation to stop him playing!! A mass brawl ended up with ticking off for Lee Fortey and The Mike Tyson of Coventry their skipper. He should have at this stage been given a 10 minute cooling down period.

However, the line was reset and what better way to respond than to take the line with consummate ease and power towards the line. If the drive had not been pulled down yet again it would have been a simple 5 points. A penalty was awarded which was taken as a scrum, however a great tackle in midfield saved the day and a penalty conceded for holding on. Respite for the beleaguered Coventry defence

Another tactic not once penalised as the Coventry player is all over Craig Gillies at the line The Worcester supporters were now in full song as the Warriors swept forward with attack after attack.

It was all Worcester surely one of these attacks would bear fruit and open the gates.

Eventually the sheer intensity of the attacks breached the very impressive defence, with Mark Gabey appearing on the outside to steamroller his way over for a well earned try.

Unfortunately Tommy Hayes failed with the conversion

Worcester 5 : Coventry 0

Would this be the start of  a try fest that the warriors so richly deserved? No it was not!!

The Coventry defence just got better and better. It was written all over their faces, "No more scores from Worcester". They were hammering in at the loose, the maul, in the tackle, it was a hard game out there, with  both teams giving it their all.

For about 10 minutes the game ebbed and flowed about the halfway line with neither team gaining any real advantage

Once again, you cannot attack a player in the air or without the ball, you can compete for the ball, this is playing the playerWerner was not having a good game on several occasions he was just not upto the speed of the game.

In his desire to stretch the Coventry defence he threw a crazily long pass, which had little speed or direction. Coventry capitalised on the ensuing turnover, scoring a well deserved try.

The try being converted, taking Coventry into a shock half time lead. Half  Time

Worcester 5 : 7 Coventry

The second half was going to have to be at a faster pace with a more incisive cutting edge, to get through Messer's Cannon and Co.

No wonder he is a full international who had a great World Cup

The Warriors arrived onto the field to the massed cheering and chanting of "Worcester....Worcester".

This was going to be an explosive 40 minutes Tommy Hayes got the game underway as Ben Hinshelwood replaced Wes Davies

From the second Worcester got the half underway they were much faster using the ball, with some powerful runs from the front five. We were privileged to see some great running from Matt Evans playing at No 6, this 20 year old has a good future at the club as does the 20 year old No 7 Neil Mason. It was the youngest most inexperienced backrow we had put on the field this season and didn't they do well??

Ben Daly was also in magnificent form, his work rate is second to none, along with Mark Gabey and Craig Gillies who were everywhere on the field. The Coventry defence tried hard but they could not cope with this speed and power coming at them

Eventually the referee, having been advised by the touch judge, dismissed the Coventry Captain for a 10 minute rest, accompanied by the player he was sat on punching!!

2 minutes later yet another Coventry forward was despatched to the bin.

This gave all the impetus to The Warriors to power on to the Coventry line. Winning ball after ball, forcing penalty after penalty ( a penalty try was certainly on the cards.

But try as they might they could not breach this powerful defence

It was now time for a change, first on came James Brown and the game got faster and more dangerous for the Coventry defence.

As the first period of sin binned players was coming to an end The Warriors pack smashed forward and gave Ben Hinshelwood a gap to storm through  to score. This was definitely the signal for all attack for the elusive 4 tries

Now the game took a different turn as finally the persistent infringements around the maul was penalised by the referee who awarded a penalty try.

The third try and now the 4th and bonus try was in sight and had to come as Coventry were beginning to wilt under the immense pressure

Worcester 19 : 7 Coventry

On came the power, the speed, the intensity and above all else the total focus to score the 4th try. Attack after attack was held at bay, but the Warriors were not going to let this one slip away.

It was attack again, move the Coventry players around, there were several openings which went begging before the big 8 stepped in and set up 4/5 minutes of intense pressure.

To the obvious delight of the players and spectators Tony Windo forced his way over to score that all important 4th try. What utter delight swelled around the stadium

Worcester 24 : 7 Coventry

They had worked hard all day to break down this determined defence and now was the time to capitalise and savour the moment. The capacity crowd was baying for another score.

David Officer had been removed earlier forcing the young no6 Matt Evans to play on the wing, what an inspired choice.

The ball was moved quickly down the narrow side, flooding the attack. tackle after tackle came in.

Eventually A Coventry player in his desperation to stop a certain try deliberately knocked on to stop that last pass.

However the referee allowed advantage as the ball did not make touch and was kicked into the in-goal area.

In came the blue streak in the shape of Matt Evans, brushing aside an attempted barge off the ball he dived onto the rolling ball and score a great try.

Up stepped James Brown, (the clear leader in the MOTM player of the year) and kicked  a magnificent conversion to the ultimate delight of the packed South Stand.

Worcester 31 : 7 Coventry