Warriors Under 18s couldn’t make it three wins out of three but salvaged a late bonus point against Gloucester Rugby in the Aviva Premiership Under 18 Academy Northern Conference.
In Warriors’ first-ever match hosted at Leominster-based Luctonians RFC, it was a game of two halves as both teams had to contend with the windy conditions.
Warriors dominated the first period going in 15-5 at the break thanks to scores for Robbie Smith and Ben Fowles while Jamie Shillcock slotted two kicks.
But the visitors controlled the second half in the blustery conditions at Mortimer Park, running in three more tries to secure a bonus-point victory before Smith’s second at the death allowed Shillcock to chip over for Warriors to collect a point.
Three Pears Academy youngsters James Page and Shillcock were named in the starting line-up as Warriors chased a third win in three – as their neighbours were – after both had enjoyed a 100 per cent record coming into the clash.
Both sides looked to get the upper hand early on and Warriors were presented with an early opportunity when Shillcock kicked a penalty to the corner but they lost the lineout and Gloucester escaped.
However, Gloucester knocked on and from the resulting scrum, Warriors won possession and Ollie Allsopp chipped in behind for Smith to slide over the line.
Shillcock had the difficult task of converting from the touchline but the scrum-half’s kick just had the legs to creep over the bar.
Gloucester then immediately found space to break away with Harry Randall and following a quick-tap penalty, Henry Walker managed to dive over.
Warriors then piled the pressure on their local rivals, spending a five-minute period camped on the five-metre line but they couldn’t make the pressure count.
But they soon forced their way back into the Gloucester 22 before winning a penalty and Shillcock chipped over three points.
The visitors struggled to get out their 22 as the young Warriors came charging at them again as Will Butler raced down the left before finding Maine, who was brought down just a few metres short of the whitewash.
Maine then jinxed his way between several Cherry and White defenders to make another 30 metres for Warriors but the hosts were penalised at the breakdown and Gloucester cleared to touch.
Butler was causing more havoc from midfield as his cheeky kick in behind forced Gloucester to take the ball into touch allowing his forwards a chance at a five-metre drive.
And the pack obliged with Fowles dotting down off the back of the maul but Shillcock couldn’t split the posts again from the touchline.
Gloucester came out fighting after the break as both sides’ shirts became engulfed in mud.
And it was the visitors who grabbed the next points as Morgan Morris skipped over following heavy pressure near the Warriors five-metre line and Danny Openshaw converted well.
Gloucester were very much in the ascendancy and after winning a penalty, Openshaw chipped over in difficult conditions to level the scores.
And they turned the game round in the 53rd minute as Harry Randall slid under the posts and Openshaw added another two from the tee.
Gloucester so nearly had another score when Openshaw found Rhys Tudor with a crossfield kick but the winger couldn’t hold onto it in the slippery conditions, with the tryline wide open in front of him.
But it mattered little as the visitors killed the game off late on as Joe Mullis shoved his way over to secure a bonus-point try and Openshaw helped himself to another two points.
Warriors did finally manage to get themselves in the opposition 22 in the second period when Shillcock kicked to the corner following a penalty.
And following the drive, replacement Sam Hollingsworth nudged the ball over the tryline for Smith to chase down and the centre dived on the ball to make it 29-20 with the last play of the game.
Shillcock calmly notched the conversion to ensure the hosts didn’t come out of the contest empty handed on a testing afternoon for the young side.
The pitch afterwards represented a game of two halves, with the one side barely touched and the other a well-trodden brown half which had seen almost all of the day's action.
Three Pears Academy Forwards Development Coach Ceri Jones said: “We're disappointed we didn't capitalise on the conditions enough in the first half.
“We had a fantastic start and we knew how hard we’d have to work in the second period to defend that lead but unfortunately Gloucester’s tactical kicking put us under a lot of pressure.
"We know that if our set-piece functions better then we will no doubt cause every team in the league problems but we showed great endeavour at the end to earn a bonus point which demonstrates the character and unity of this young squad.
"It's been a privilege to play at Luctonians, especially with it being one of our Junior Academy Centres and we hope to host more games across the region."
The Under 18s are back in action on Saturday 2 January away at Northampton Saints (kick-off 1pm).
Warriors Under 18s: 15 Alex Nisbet (Bromsgrove School), 14 Alex Hearle (Shrewsbury Sixth Form), 13 Robbie Smith (Hartpury College), 12 Will Butler (Hereford Cathedral School), 11 Stan Maine (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 10 Ollie Allsopp (Malvern College), 9 Jamie Shillcock; 1 Freddie Hemmingway (John Kyrle High School), 2 George Newman (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 3 James Page, 4 Lawrence Weston (Bromsgrove School), 5 James Scott (Malvern College), 6 Ted Hill (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 7 Tom Ford (Bromsgrove School), 8 Ben Fowles (Solihull School)
Replacements: 16 Bec Cutting (Bromsgrove School), 17 Ben Davies Moore (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 18 Kai Owen (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 19 Ollie Richardson (Warwick School), 20 George Wooten (Bromsgrove School), 21 Dion King (King's School Worcester), 22 Sam Hollingworth (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE), 23 Max Craven (Worcester Sixth Form/AASE)
Timeline
7m: Smith try 5-0
8m: Shillock con 7-0
10m: Walker try 7-5
24m: Shillcock pen 10-5
34m: Fowles try 15-5
43m: Morris try 15-10
44m: Openshaw con 15-12
49m: Openshaw pen 15-15
53m: Randall try 15-20
54m: Openshaw con 15-22
65m: Mullis try 15-27
66m: Openshaw con 15-29
69m: Smith try 20-29
70m: Shillcock con 22-29