WITH only one Aviva Premiership victory to their name in 2013, it is fair to say it has not been a year to remember for Worcester Warriors.
The past 12 months have also seen 20 league defeats inflicted on Worcester who find themselves ten points adrift at the foot of the table.
However, the final 40 minutes at Sixways on Saturday which saw Warriors and leaders Saracens fight out a scoreless second half has given director of rugby Dean Ryan reason to be optimistic for 2014.
His side appeared to be on course for their heaviest loss of the campaign as the visitors scored four tries inside the opening half an hour and trailed 26-8 at half time. But Worcester refused to throw in the towel and came back strongly to deny Saracens from adding to their tally, which delighted Ryan.
“They are a really good side and as they showed against Leicester when they get a start they can do a lot of damage, so I was pleased with our response,” he said.
“You just can’t sit and wait against a side with such pace and power, but we showed in the second half that we can actually take things to them.
“Yes we lack the power and finesse they have got – as do many other sides in the league – but we don’t lack attitude, spirit and bloody mindedness and I think a lot of individuals did themselves a lot of credit today.”
With 38 points separating the two sides before kick off, Worcester’s supporters were probably bracing themselves for a long afternoon.
But they did have something to cheer in the opening stages as the hosts started the scoring with a penalty from Ignacio Mieres.
The lead only lasted two minutes though as David Strettle crossed in the corner and once Saracens found their feet the match soon went in one direction.
Hooker Schalk Brits powered through under the posts, which Charlie Hodgson, before Sarries struck twice in as many minutes to take complete control of the encounter.
Warriors struggled to contain their rampant opponents as Goode scampered over, while the Londoners’ class also showed in their fourth try. Hodgson latched on to his own chip in behind Worcester’s defence to touch down, which he then converted to give his side a commanding 26-3 lead.
With the scores coming thick and fast, Sarries were beginning to look unstoppable, but a yellow card handed to Mako Vunipola just before the interval seemed to give Warriors the break they were looking for.
And with three minutes left, the hosts made the numerical advantage count with Leonardo Senatore squeezing over from close range.
The score seemed to inject confidence into the side as they began to boss proceedings at the start of the second half.
Warriors were piling on the pressure, but whenever they got into a potential scoring opportunity they could not find the finishing touch required, while errors continued to creep into their game.
Fly half Paul Warwick did his best to try to break the second half deadlock, but it appeared destined to remain stalemate as Jamie George squandered a simple chance to complete the win at the death. After superb work from Ben Spencer to close in on the try-line, the ball popped up to George, but the hooker failed to keep hold of it.