Worcester Warriors 30 Doncaster Knights 28: Knights cruelly denied by last kick of the match from Goode

Worcester put the Knights under extreme pressure from the outset and with centres Samoan international Dale Rasmussen and Alex Crockett making inroads, things looked ominous for the visitors.

Crockett put winger Miles Benjamin over for a try converted by England fly-half Andy Goode, who followed with a penalty before good interplay by Worcester saw Irish flanker Neil Best cross unopposed near the posts and Goode again converted.

With Knights No 8 Ed Jackson forced off with a head injury and replaced by Andy Boyde, the visitors were under pressure.

However, the young Doncaster side held their nerve as they came to terms with the intensity of the game and, with their scrum more than getting to grips with the illustrious opposition, they started to get back into the match.

They launched a series of attacks and, when Worcester were penalised five metres out, flanker Neil Cochrane took a quick penalty to crash over and fly-half Tristan Roberts converted for the final score of the half.

Knights started the second half with renewed confidence and Boyde was driven over from close in for Roberts to convert.

This stung Worcester back into action and full-back Willie Walker scored an excellent try – only for Roberts to respond with a penalty after Crockett was yellow carded.

Another successful penalty by Roberts followed almost immediately and the Knights were only two points behind.

With 10 minutes remaining, the Knights turned over Warriors possession just inside their own half and 15 metres in from touch and the ball was passed by Boyde to Matt Williams, who raced 40 metres down the touchline before scoring with a spectacular dive in at the corner.

Worcester came back and, just when it looked as if the Knights had weathered the storm, they gained a lineout five metres out and flanker Jake Abbot was driven over for his side's fourth and bonus-point try.

With the game entering stoppage-time, Worcester were penalised in their desperation to keep the Knights at bay and Roberts's successful strike put the Knights back in front by a single point.

They regained possession and tried to run the clock down with a series of forward drives. But they lost possession in midfield and Worcester managed to gain a lineout on the 22.

Quick ball off the top was taken into the heart of the defence by Goode and, after one attack had been stopped, Worcester were awarded a contentious penalty in front of the posts which Goode goaled and the final whistle went soon after much to Doncaster's dismay.

Worcester Warriors: Walker, Garvey, Crockett, Rasmussen, Benjamin, Goode, Arr (Williams 59), Black, Fortey (Shervington 56), Taumoepeau (Douglas 56), Rawlinson (Bowley 56), Kitchener, Best, Horstmann, Abbott. Unused: Collins, Carlisle, Short

Doncaster Knights: McColl, Goss, Briers, Gidlow, Williams, Roberts, Hallam, Frazier (Thiede 56), Boden, Cusack, Challinor, Parsons, Cochrane, Jackson (Boyde 16), Walker. Unused: Flockhart, Jericevich, Farivarz, Doughty, Cahill.