Boss Richard Hill admitted his Warriors would need to get used to the opposition treating them as ‘a cup final’ after being pushed all the way by battling Plymouth Albion.
A hat-trick from Miles Benjamin and late charge eventually helped Warriors to a tense 26-19 victory at Brickfields.
And Hill was sure his team would learn from the experience as Plymouth tore out of the traps to snatch an early 7-0 lead after less than five minutes.
“I have spoken to the players about my experience in this league. Whilst scoring tries away from home is great they must realise that teams like this treat it as a cup final,” he said.
“They will raise their game because they know if they don’t do that they will get beaten heavily.
“Plymouth have come out today and thrown everything at us in the first 20 minutes, scored a try and then it is up to us to change the game. It will be like that when we play away from home and we have to accept that.
“It is a big plus for us to come to Plymouth and get a win and score three tries. We go back with a win under our belts. That will be the task away from home – to get wins.
A series of astute changes from the bench from Hill helped Warriors turn the game as late forward power and the goal kicking of Andy Goode proved decisive.
And Hill was pleased that his replacements could make such an impact in a game that rested on a knife edge for so long.
He added: “I wanted to give us more go forward. Joe Carlisle and Jonny Arr played well, but we were coming across a very interesting defence. They hold off and just let you show what you are going to do.
“It’s very easy to go sideways because they hold off you, let you pass and before you know it you are on the touch line.
“We just needed people like Aleki Lutui and Tevita Taumoepeau to come on, with a bit more power, and with people like Andy Goode who just slots the goal kicks.
“What was pleasing is that we have a good 22 here at the moment, I can make replacements and generate extra energy.
“In the last 20 minute we bought some fresh legs on and dominated in the forwards. I think the opposition, when they saw the likes of Greg Rawlinson, Tevita and Aleki come on, would have known they didn’t have much to match that. We had the ascendancy in the last quarter.”