Ice-cool Nicholas condemns Bears to defeat

Bristol Bears ..12 Worcester ......15

SARAH NICHOLAS’ penalty five minutes from time rescued victory for Worcester Warriors to end their wait for a first win since October.

Warriors completed a ten-point swing in the final ten minutes as Bristol looked set to secure the points at Shaftesbury Park after their opponents had been reduced to 14 players .

Sioned Harries put Warriors in front just short of the half-hour mark when she crashed over from close range following a maul set by Cara Brincat.

It was just reward for Warriors who had come close to registering the first score on 16 minutes through Vicky Laflin, only for the wing to be bundled into touch by Kayleigh Powell.

Bristol’s response was immediate as prop Ellie Mulhearn crossed over the whitewash at the second attempt from a scrum to draw scores level, after being held up short of the line moments before.

The conversion by Elinor Snowsill gave Bears a 7-5 lead at the interval.

Warriors found it tough to contend with Bristol’s blitz defence at the start of the second half but held firm for the first 15 minutes until Jasmine Joyce was able to make the breakthrough.

Lock Hollie Cunningham took Bristol to their opponent’s five-metre line before the ball was worked to the left wing where Powell fed Joyce for her eighth try of the competition.

With the clock working against Warriors, matters were made worse when Alex Callender was sent to the bin on 61 minutes for stamping – but Worcester rallied.

Brincat claimed the lineout and, again, set the maul from which Harries scored her second, converted by Nicholas who held her nerve to slot a match-winning penalty kick.