IT WASN’T pretty, but they couldn’t give two hoots about that at Sixways, as Worcester Warriors battled away to their first league win of the season and a precious step closer to Guinness Premiership survival.

Away from the pressures of the Premiership, Worcester have been enjoying their European travels, with a perfect six wins in the Challenge Cup. “With a home quarter-final against Montpellier on April 5, we are now just three games from Heineken Cup rugby next season,” says Cecil Duckworth, Worcester’s chairman, whose millions have kept the Warriors in the Premiership so far.

The Worcester players were as generous as their benefactor in gifting Bristol the lead in the 10th minute. It was as if time stood still as David Hill, the Bristol centre, hoisted a high ball into the home 22. Loki Crichton was frozen to the spot, and inexplicably stood and watched as Tom Arscott gathered the bouncing ball and raced over for the try.

If that seemed like a bad dream for the Warriors fly-half, Mark Regan was enduring a nightmare that haunted him at every lineout. It started going wobbly for the Bristol and England hooker when Greg Rawlinson caught his first throw to the front. His next shot managed to avoid Rawlinson, and the giant Craig Gillies – plus all his Bristol targets – and landed in the grateful arms of Pat Sanderson, the Worcester captain, at the back.

It got worse for the veteran hooker when he was helped from the pitch with a neck injury. That, along with his throwing, must make Leicester’s George Chuter or Bath’s Lee Mears favourite to start for England on Saturday.

While Regan walked off, the 19st-plus Warriors prop that is Darren Morris was playing like a spring lamb, skipping down the touchline on one run, even changing gear from slow to something like medium. Miles Benjamin looked the fastest man on the pitch. The 19-year-old wing lit up the first half with one run that would have made even Jason Robinson go dizzy.

With virtually no lineout possession, and a nasty habit of conceding turnovers on the floor, it turned into a long second half for Bristol, who leaked three tries. Sanderson claimed the first, dotting down a forward drive while Matt Salter was in the sin-bin, then Rawlinson picked the perfect angle to run onto Crichton’s pass to score at the foot of the posts before Dale Rasmussen went over in the corner.

The man on the Tannoy summed it up perfectly when he cried out: “The monkey’s off the back!” as the relieved home supporters cheered their heroes off the pitch.

Star man: Darren Morris (Worcester)

Worcester: T Delport; R Gear (C Pennell 78min), D Rasmussen (J Brown 76min), S Tuitupou, M Benjamin; L Crichton, M Powell (R Powell 72min); D Morris (C Black 77min), A Lutui (M Mullan 69min), T Taumoepeau, G Rawlinson, C Gillies (W Bowley 72min), D Hickey (N Talei 63min), K Horstmann, P Sanderson (capt)

Bristol: L Arscott; T Arscott, R Higgitt, D Hill, A Elliott; J Strange (J Taumalolo 68min), G Beveridge (B O’Riordan 52min); A Clarke (D Crompton 67min), M Regan (S Linklater 42min), D Crompton (J Hobson ht), R Winters, S Hohneck, M Salter (capt, G Llewellyn 69min), A Blowers, A To’oala (J El Abd 48min.

Scorers: Worcester: Tries: Sanderson, Rawlinson, Rasmussen Cons: Crichton (2) Pens: Crichton (2)

Bristol: Try: T Arscott

Yellow card: Bristol: Salter (47min)

Referee: T Spreadbury (RFU)

Attendance: 9,822