Worcester Cavaliers had to settle for an 18-18 draw in the Aviva A League after seeing a 15-3 lead evaporate on a cold night at Kingsholm.
Cavaliers dominated the majority of the game after a stalemate first half an hour and were 7-3 ahead at the break after Tiff Eden converted a Josh Adams try on the stroke of half-time.
The visitors increased their lead in the second period as Gareth Milasinovich added a second try to Eden’s first penalty of the night.
But Eden then saw a clearance blocked as David Halaifonua raced in to get Gloucester back into the game.
Replacement Harry Robinson then touched down for the hosts and Steve McColl levelled late on, before attempting a 60-metre kick to win it for the hosts in the final play.
But his long-range kick, which had the whole crowd on the edge of their seats, dropped wide of the posts.
Cavaliers started the match well and pinned Gloucester back in their own half in the early stages and Adams almost scored in the corner only to have put a foot in touch.
The visitors were well and truly on the front foot as Gloucester were forced to deal with set-pieces in their own 22 but Cavaliers couldn’t get off the mark despite their early dominance.
With 12 minutes on the clock Gloucester eventually won a penalty as they defended their own 22 and were able to clear the danger and finally get in the game.
Cavaliers were gaining good field position but every time they looked like putting the first points on the board, a lack of accuracy proved the killer blow as Gloucester held on.
The first-half was proving to be somewhat of a stalemate as both sides searched for a way through but defences were very much on top.
Gloucester started to enjoy their first real spell of dominance as the half wore to a close and they finally opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark as Lloyd Evans struck a penalty from just outside the away 22.
But it was the Cavaliers side which continued to look the more threatening and Mark Hewitt’s men eventually got their reward as Perry Humphreys broke through before teeing-up Adams, who raced down the right before diving over.
Eden launched a spectacular kick to convert from the touchline as Cavaliers took a 7-3 lead in at the break.
Cavaliers looked to build on their lead in the second period and they added another three points thanks to the boot of Eden once again.
The visitors were starving Gloucester of any meaningful possession and defended brilliantly when they were put under pressure.
And that provided Cavaliers with a platform on which to drive forward as they put their second try of the night on the scoreboard after Milasinovich grounded the ball following a break from Adams.
Cavaliers’ night seemed to be going perfectly until the hour-mark when Tom Lindsay charged down a clearance from Eden allowing Halaifonua to race through before diving underneath the posts.
McColl’s conversion put Gloucester within five points as the hosts started to make a real fight of the game.
Cavaliers soon introduced Marco Mama to the action to help stabilise the pack. And following good work from the forwards, Eden added another penalty to give Cavaliers an 18-10 advantage.
But Gloucester forced their way back into the game in sensational style as Robinson raced to support Callum Braley after good link-up play from Halaifonua and Ollie Thorley.
Robinson touched down but McColl missed the crucial conversion as Cavaliers held on to a three-point lead in the closing stages.
But there was still time for Gloucester to draw level as McColl split the posts with a penalty in the dying seconds.
And the hosts could have won it in the last play, as McColl launched an audacious penalty attempt from his own ten-metre line.
However, the kick fell just wide giving Worcester one last chance to attack from their 22 before the ball squirmed into touch to end an enthralling encounter.
Cavaliers: 15 Perry Humphreys, 14 Josh Adams, 13 Heath Stevens, 12 Ravai Fatiaki, 11 Jonas Mikalcius, 10 Tiff Eden, 9 JB Bruzulier (De Cothi 73); 1 Ryan Bower (c), 2 Ben Sowrey, 3 Gareth Milasinovich (Daniels 79), 4 Dan Sanderson, 5 Darren O’Shea, 6 Mat Gilbert (Mama 62), 7 Sam Ripper-Smith, 8 Huw Taylor
Replacements: 16 Jack Singleton, 17 Derrick Appiah, 18 Mike Daniels, 19 Andrew Kitchener, 20 Marco Mama, 21 George de Cothi, 22 Jamie Shillcock, 23 Max Stelling
Timeline
32m: Evans pen 3-0
40m: Adams try 3-5
40m: Eden con 3-7
47m: Eden pen 3-10
57m: Milasinovich try 3-15
61m: Halaifonua try 8-15
62m: McColl con 10-15
69m: Eden pen 10-18
71m: Robinson try 15-18
79m: McColl pen 18-18