Head Coach Richard had spoken ahead of the game about the importance of victory but a tense opening half saw the visitors claim the early lead as Ofisa Treviranus raced over before Aleki Lutui dotted down to give Worcester a slender 10-8 into break.

A tense second half was finally calmed when flying wing David Lemi grabbed a decisive second half try - and his first home soil - before late fireworks and a finish that will live long in the memory.

Replacement Semisi Taulava crashed over a decisive third try before Jon Clarke capped a fine debut with a last minute score as Sixways saluted a sensational performance from the home side.

After narrow defeat to Bath and last minute agony to local rivals Gloucester, a victory was imperative for Warriors as they went for third time lucky on home soil.

The next 80 minutes were not perfect, as Hill alluded to afterwards, but the character, spirit and ultimately skill of the Warriors could not be faulted. A night many will not forget in a hurry, a night to build upon.

The game itself was delayed by 30 minutes after London Irish's team coach was caught in bad traffic on the motorway network.

But when they did arrive there was no danger of the game being stuck on the slow lane as both teams looked to run the ball in the opening minutes.

It was Worcester who secured the first attacking platform as Andy Goode kicked to the corner after a penalty for coming in at the side against the Exiles. The home side looked to get a driving lineout moving, but the visitors held firm to win back possession.

Good work by Matt Kvesic won a resulting penalty at the breakdown and Goode lined up a monster kick from several metres inside his own half. The fly half made a good connection, however his effort pulled up short of the uprights.

Sixways was on its feet as Nikki Walker and Josh Matavesi cleverly linked up to send the Scot into space before play was pulled back for obstruction. The winger was also injured in the move and was immediately replaced by Clarke as he hobbled off.

Scrum half Jonny Arr, recalled to the starting line-up, was lively from the start and neatly spun into space and threatened to run clear from deep before Aleki Lutui smashed into contact and punched holes in the Irish defence.

An aerial battle saw both teams trade possession before Marland Yade and Tom Homer combined from deep and, when space was opened up on the left, it was Number Eight Treviranus who showed his turn of pace to make the corner and touch down.

Steven Shingler sent them further ahead with a penalty before a decisive response from Worcester.

A knock on from the restart gave Warriors a platform and a penalty at the scrum saw Goode kick for position. The forwards then swarmed and picked and went repeatedly before Lutui touched down and Goode converting to reduce the lead to a point.

A yellow card for Tagicakibau, for a dangerous tackle on Matavesi, then gave Goode the chance to put Worcester ahead and he duly obliged for a 10-8 lead on the half hour mark.

Worcester looked to turn the screw with the man advantage as Pennell shot down the left at pace and Dean Schofield and Lutui again barged into bodies before Grove looked to pull away down the right but was pushed back.

A penalty at the lineout gave Shingler another sight of goal from just inside the Warriors half against the run of play. But his kick pulled up short and left of the posts and was hammered clear into the night sky by Pennell as Worcester took a lead into the interval.

Warriors continued to force the pace in the second half and thought they were over for try number two as Goode handed off one man and raced away before kicking in behind. The fly half and Grove both went for the loose ball but it evaded them both.

Irish held firm at the resulting scrum under pressure before more drama saw Shingler slip as he looked to clear. Chris Jones caught the poor kick and fed Goode before the forwards surged for the line. A penalty was secured and the former England man did the rest.

The three points, though, were given away almost as quickly as they were secured as Warriors infringed at the breakdown and Shingler atoned for his slip as he split the posts.

The visiting centre was having a busy game and had another chance moments later but this time his effort pushed across the posts. Shingler then blotted his copybook with a needless penalty at the breakdown that Goode slotted.

Giant number Eight Taulava replaced the hard-working Kvesic just before the hour and the home side looked to build up a head of steam as Goode smashed another kick deep into visiting territory.

A lineout five metres from the line was cynically dragged down and Jamie Gibson was yellow carded. Worcester looked to strike, as the forwards burrowed up close, before referee Wayne Barnes halted momentum by awarding a penalty against the home side for not releasing.

A try looked imminent and duly arrived in some style as a superb break from Clarke down the middle saw him slice the Irish rearguard apart.

Grove and then Percival brilliantly took the ball on before, with a penalty already secured as Irish strayed offside, the ball was flung down the line for Lemi to dot down in the corner. Goode saw his conversion attempt unluckily strike the post.

Lemi almost grabbed a second of the night when Goode kicked into space, after Gillies stole ball, and the wing showed his raw pace to beat Homer, but he just failed to hold the greasy loose bouncing ball.

Irish were now looking to play from deep with nothing to lose, but they were caught by a fired-up Worcester defence that flew up and won a scrum five metres out.

The home pack sensed the time to strike and pressed the power and roared up close before the ball was picked up and driven over by Taulava to a thundering ovation with the game secured.

Seconds later Worcester were in dream land as amazing handling saw Warriors rip Irish defence to shreds as Pennell flicked out the back to Matavesi who had the vision to kick ahead for Clarke to pick up and complete a truly remarkable finish.

Timeline:

14m Treviranus t 0-5

19m Shingler p 0-8

23m Lutui t Goode c 7-8

31m Goode p 10-8

49m Goode p 13-8

52m Shingler p 13-11

56m Goode p 16-11

68m Lemi t 21-11

76m Taulava t Goode c 28-11

80m Clarke t Goode c 35-11

Warriors: 01 Matt Mullan, 02 Aleki Lutui, 03 John Andress, 04 James Percival, 05 Dean Schofield (Gillies 68), 06 Chris Jones, 07 Sam Betty, 08 Matt Kvesic (Taulava 55), 09 Jonny Arr, 10 Andy Goode, 11 David Lemi, 12 Josh Matavesi, 13 Alex Grove, 14 Nikki Walker (Clarke 9), 15 Chris Pennell

Replacements: 16 Ollie Hayes, 17 Ceri Jones, 18 James Currie, 19 Craig Gillies, 20 Semisi Taulava, 21 Ollie Frost, 22 Joe Carlisle, 23 Jon Clarke